FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 20, 2007
LISA MARIE HIETT PLEADS GUILTY IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Great Falls on August 20, 2007, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong, LISA MARIE HIETT, a 22-year-old resident of Great Falls, pled guilty to making a false statement during a firearm transaction. Sentencing is set for November 26, 2007. She is currently released on special conditions.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On August 2, 2006, HIETT purchased two 9mm pistols from American Pawn in Great Falls for another individual.
Later on August 2, 2006, two male individuals and a female were arrested by the Nevada Highway Patrol on their way to California to sell firearms. Three (3) firearms and a small amount of cocaine were recovered. The firearms that were recovered from the vehicle included the firearms purchased by HIETT on August 2, 2006.
On September 26, 2006, HIETT was interviewed and stated that on August 2, 2006, she was hanging out with one of the male individuals when he asked if she would purchase a gun for him if he gave her the money. She admitted that she told him that she would.
HEITT and the male individual then went to American Pawn. Upon arriving at the store, HIETT stated that the male individual told the sales representative which pistols HIETT would like to purchase. According to HIETT, the sales representative then gave her a Firearms Transaction Record to fill out. The male individual gave the sales representative the money for the pistols, and the sales representative in turn gave the firearms directly to him; however, the sales representative gave the receipt for the firearms to HIETT. After purchasing the pistols, she and the male individual took the pistols back to her house.
HIETT faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette L. Stewart prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Nevada Highway Patrol.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
