FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
DANA REDDING 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 Billings on December 4, 2007, before U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, DANA REDDING, a 42-year-old resident of Black Lodge, pled guilty to being a felon-in-possession of a firearm. Sentencing is set for February 28, 2008. He is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On October 29, 2006, REDDING was convicted of a felony offense in Colorado that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
On October 29, 2006, tribal police responded to a report that a truck was stuck in a ditch near Black Lodge on the Crow Indian Reservation. When they arrived at the location, they observed a white pickup high-centered in a ditch by a fence line. The police learned that REDDING had walked away from the truck to a nearby residence.
When police arrived at the residence, REDDING was standing outside of the residence and was very intoxicated. A friend of REDDING'S advised the officers that he would assist REDDING in retrieving his truck and he assured the officers that he would not allow REDDING to drive.
Approximately one hour later, the tribal police received a call that REDDING had a gun. The police responded to the Black Lodge area again, and saw REDDING standing outside with a rifle in his hands. REDDING'S back was to the police officers and he was yelling at some people at a nearby residence. He then put the rifle down at his feet. Officers retrieved the rifle and determined that the rifle was loaded.
REDDING told the officers that someone had tried to break out the windows of his truck, which was still stuck in the ditch, with a bat. The officers talked to the individuals who had the bat. They stated that REDDING came to their residence and tried to start a fight. They chased him off, but he came back with a gun and threatened to shoot one of the individuals, who then grabbed a bat for protection.
On October 30, 2006, REDDING was interviewed and admitted that he was in possession of his son's .22 caliber rifle the day before. He stated that he was feuding with his neighbors and that they had threatened to break the windows of his truck which was stuck in the ditch. His intent was to fire a warning shot to scare them off.
REDDING faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
