Information: Federal Court Arraignments

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that those persons listed below were arraigned before the U.S. Magistrate and the indictments handed down by the Grand Jury unsealed.

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ostby in Billings on April 28, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• TAWNYA BEARCOMESOUT, a 39-year-old resident of Lame Deer, appeared on charges of voluntary manslaughter, and involuntary manslaughter.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, BEARCOMESOUT faces 15 years in prison, $250,000 in fines, and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  PACER Case Reference. 16-13

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ostby in Billings on April 26, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• DUANE TIMOTHY SMITH, a 34-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm not registered in National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, SMITH faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines, and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  PACER Case Reference. 16-46

• THOMAS DEAN SMITH, a 42-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, SMITH faces life in in prison, $10,000,000 in fines, and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  PACER Case Reference. 16-46

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Johnston in Great Falls on April 25, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• RAFAEL RAMOS-ROMERO, a 29-year-old resident of Mexico, appeared on charges of illegal reentry.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, RAMOS-ROMERO faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines, and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.  PACER Case Reference. 16-14

• RYAN JASON TATSEY, a 31-year-old resident of Spokane, Washington, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, TATSEY faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines, and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office.  PACER Case Reference. 16-16

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ostby in Billings on April 25, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• PEDRO CARRASCO, JR., a 33-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, CARRASCO faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines, and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.  PACER Case Reference. 16-41

• MATTHEW DENNIS COZZENS, a 32-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, COZZENS faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines, and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.  PACER Case Reference. 16-43

• JOSHUA DON RAY, a 37-year-old resident of Ashland, appeared on charges of distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, RAY faces 20 years in prison, $1,000,000 in fines, and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  PACER Case Reference. 16-47

• GEORGIA ANN WILSON, a 40-year-old resident of Ashland, appeared on charges of distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, WILSON faces 20 years in prison, $1,000,000 in fines, and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  PACER Case Reference. 16-47

• TROY DEE WILSON, a 21-year-old resident of Ashland, appeared on charges of distribution of methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, WILSON faces 20 years in prison, $1,000,000 in fines, and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  PACER Case Reference. 16-47

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system so that you stay current and not miss any important developments in the case.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.