FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
INFORMATIONAL: FEDERAL COURT ARRAIGNMENT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings, on November 6, 2007, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn S. Ostby, the following individual was arraigned:
STEVEN BITNER, a 35-year-old resident of Banks, Oregon, appeared on charges of advertisement and distribution of child pornography. He is currently released on special conditions. If convicted of these charges, BITNER faces possible penalties of a mandatory 15 years in prison and could be sentenced to the maximum of 30 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 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The defendant pled not guilty to the charge(s).
The charge, an indictment, information or complaint, is merely an accusation and any person named as a defendant is 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.
