Informational: Federal Court arraignments

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Aug. 24 was:

Solomon Anthony Gardner, 41, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gardner faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Gardner was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-50.

Matthew Dallas Lee, 33, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lee faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Lee was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-52.

Appearing on Aug. 26 was:

Preston Tucker Baumann, 24, a transient, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Baumann faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Baumann was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-56.

Robert Allen Williams, 57, of Oregon, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Williams faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. William was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-64.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Aug. 23 was:

Taurean Jerome Weber, 39, of Lakewood, Colorado, formerly of Missoula, on charges of transportation of child pornography, distribution of child pornography and receipt of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Weber faces a mandatory minimum five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Weber was released pending further proceedings. The Missoula Police Department, FBI and Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-28.

Jeremy Michael Rivers, 44, of Anaconda, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth.  If convicted of the most serious crime, Rivers faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Rivers was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Postal Service investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-23.

Anthony Wayne Lamere, 23, of Butte, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lamere faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Lamere was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and U.S. Postal Service investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-24.

Kathy Ann Hendrickson, 59, of Walla Walla, Washington, on charges of cyberstalking. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hendrickson faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Hendrickson was released pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-32.

Appearing in Great Falls U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Aug. 24 was:

Edward James Hovey, 30, of Browning, on charges of receipt of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hovey faces a mandatory minimum five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Hovey was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-50.

Rhonda Jeanette Lapier, aka Rhonda Trench, 49, of Helena, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lapier faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Lapier was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and Lewis & Clark County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-52.

The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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