FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
REGINA MICHELLE BICKNELL SENTENCED IN U.S. DISTRICT 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 Judge William F. Downes, Chief Judge for the District of Wyoming, who was presiding for U.S. District Court Judge Donald W. Molloy, REGINA MICHELLE BICKNELL, a 36-year-old resident of Libby, appeared for sentencing. BICKNELL was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 3 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Supervised Release: 3 years
BICKNELL was sentenced in connection with her guilty plea to misuse of a Social Security number.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On August 26, 2004, BICKNELL used a false Social Security number on an application to obtain a Montana driver's license. On September 1, 2004, BICKNELL obtained a replacement of the identification.
Records from the Montana Department of Justice (MDOJ), Motor Vehicle Division in Helena, would have shown that due to BICKNELL'S use of a false Social Security the MDOJ issued a driver's license to her bearing her photograph and in a false identity.
Records of the Social Security Administration would have shown that the Social Security number used by BICKNELL to obtain a Montana driver's license was not, in fact, issued to her.
When contacted by law enforcement, BICKNELL presented the fraudulently-obtained identification and represented herself under the false identity. She later admitted to having obtained the Montana driver's license through fraud.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that BICKNELL will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, BICKNELL does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Horsman prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Inspector General's Office for the Social Security Administration and the Motor Vehicle Division of the Montana Department of Justice.
