FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 18, 2007
INFORMATIONAL: FEDERAL COURT ARRAIGNMENTS
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula, on October 18, 2007, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch, the following individuals were arraigned:
DAVID LEE SAVAGE, a 55-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography. He is currently released on special conditions. If convicted of these charges, SAVAGE faces possible penalties of a mandatory 5 years in prison and could be sentenced to the maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd is the prosecutor for the United States. The investigation was conducted the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
MICHAEL STEVEN FINDER, a 46-year-old resident of Butte, appeared on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography. He is currently released on special conditions. If convicted of these charges, FINDER faces possible penalties of a mandatory 5 years in prison and could be sentenced to the maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd is the prosecutor for the United States. The investigation was conducted the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. STEVEN JOHN POMEROY, a 48-year-old resident of Canyon Creek, appeared on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography. He is currently released on special conditions. If convicted of these charges, POMEROY faces possible penalties of a mandatory 5 years in prison and could be sentenced to the maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd is the prosecutor for the United States. The investigation was conducted the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
LEESA MILLER aka Lisa Bugni, a resident of Whitehall, appeared on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. She is currently released on special conditions. If convicted of these charges, MILLER faces possible penalties of 3 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and 5 years supervised release. In addition, MILLER faces an additional mandatory two year imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence, for aggravated identity theft. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme is the prosecutor for the United States. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service.
The defendants pled not guilty to the charges.
The charge, an indictment, information or complaint, is merely an accusation and all persons named as defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A pre-trial conference and a trial date will be set and the United States will be required to prove the allegations set forth in the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt.
