FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 15, 2007
TRICE ANTHONY ALPERS 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 Missoula on October 15, 2007, before Chief U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, TRICE ANTHONY ALPERS, a 21-year-old resident of Bozeman, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. Sentencing is set for February 7, 2008. He 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:
Between early 2005 and May of 2007, an individual, hereafter referred to as D.W., distributed cocaine in Bozeman.
Testimony would have been given that D.W. distributed cocaine to several other drug dealers in the Bozeman area and that those drug dealers, in turn, distributed cocaine to others in Bozeman. Additional testimony would have been given that two of these drug dealers distributed cocaine to ALPERS for redistribution.
ALPERS faces possible penalties of 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. Thaggard prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Bozeman and the Missouri River Drug Task Force.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
