Brandon Lee Strecker Sentenced in U.S. District Court
| U.S. Attorney’s Office February 22, 2013 |
The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings on February 21, 2013 before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, BRANDON LEE STRECKER, a 38-year-old resident of Hardin, was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 12 months and one day
- Special Assessment: $100
- Forfeiture: Route 1 Box 1263A
- Supervised Release: three years
He was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to maintaining drug involved premises.
In an offer of proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette L. Stewart, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
In approximately March of 2011, law enforcement received a complaint that Ross Pattison and Travis Birdinground were distributing marijuana to numerous people in Hardin and other places in Big Horn County. Through investigation and interviews, law enforcement determined that Pattison possessed a Montana medical marijuana card but was not listed as a caregiver because he is a convicted felon. Law enforcement also determined that Birdinground worked for Pattison delivering marijuana. Birdinground also possessed a medical marijuana card and was a caregiver for only one patient. Law enforcement observed Birdinground leave Pattison’s residence numerous times a night and make trips to several residences within Hardin. Law enforcement also observed several individuals drive to Pattison’s residence to purchase marijuana from Pattison.
On April 22, 2011, law enforcement executed search warrants for Pattison’s Hardin residence and two pickup trucks. Law enforcement seized approximately five pounds of marijuana, approximately $124,000 in cash, digital scales, a paper grocery bag full of zip-lock bags, a methamphetamine pipe with residue, hashish, and photocopies of patient medical marijuana cards for marijuana caregivers STRECKER, Jason Gierke, Birdinground, and another individual.
On May 23, 2011, law enforcement executed a search warrant at STRECKER’s Hardin residence. Law enforcement seized a total of 420 marijuana plants—112 marijuana plants in the attached garage, 239 marijuana plants in the bedroom, one plant in the living room, and 68 in the greenhouse and shed. They also seized loose marijuana.
Several witnesses confirmed that Pattison would take and receive orders for marijuana and Gierke, Birdinground, and another individual would deliver marijuana to the buyers. Several witnesses will testify that after Ross Pattison’s house was searched, all deliveries were then made by STRECKER or the others.
During an interview with law enforcement on April 22, 2011, Birdinground admitted his role in the conspiracy to distribute marijuana from Pattison’s and STRECKER’s Hardin residences. The marijuana that he possessed on April 22, 2011, was marijuana that he was delivering for Pattison and STRECKER. The marijuana was ordered through Pattison. Birdinground would pick up the marijuana from Pattison and give Pattison the money after the transaction. Pattison and STRECKER paid Birdinground $800 every two weeks.
During an interview with law enforcement on May 25, 2011, Gierke stated that he helped set up the greenhouses and watering system as part of the marijuana grow operation at STRECKER’s Hardin residence. Gierke obtained his marijuana from Pattison and STRECKER. Gierke, Pattison, and STRECKER were “business partners.” Pattison put it all together and they grew the marijuana at STRECKER’s residence.
Chemists with the DEA laboratory in San Francisco tested the marijuana items submitted from the search of STRECKER’s residence. Some of the items were plant clippings as well as loose marijuana. The result of the analysis was that those items contained a detectable amount of marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance.
Gierke, Pattison, and Birdinground pled guilty to federal charges.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the “truth in sentencing” guidelines mandate that they will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, they do have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for “good behavior.” However, this reduction will not exceed 15 percent of the overall sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the following federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies: the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Customs and Border Protection-Border Patrol; and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. These federal agencies were assisted by local High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Forces, the Northwest Drug Task Force, the Kalispell Police Department, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, the Missoula Police Department, the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, the Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Great Falls Police Department, the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, the Central Montana Drug Task Force, the Billings Police Department, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Dillon Police Department, the Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office, the Park County Sheriff’s Office, the Bozeman Police Department, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, the Belgrade Police Department, the Missouri River Drug Task Force, the Helena Police Department, the Lewis & Clark Sheriff’s Office, and the Eastern Montana Drug Task Force-Miles City.