FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
KYLE BROWN 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 December 4, 2007, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch, KYLE BROWN, a 33-year-old resident of Missoula, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Sentencing is set for March 7, 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:
Testimony would have shown that law enforcement officers began hearing that BROWN might be involved in dealing methamphetamine as early as January of 2006. By November of 2006 they were actively seeking him in his Chevy Blazer with the personalized license plate, WARMACH. When a local deputy pulled BROWN over for a traffic violation, BROWN fled. A search of the Blazer revealed 6 one pound bags of marijuana, as well as small quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine. Later searches of BROWN'S motel room and his person revealed additional methamphetamine and more drug paraphernalia.
Agents began to investigate further, conducting interviews of BROWN'S associates. Ultimately they learned from several people who had participated with BROWN in drug deals, or watched him dealing drugs, that he was receiving multiple pound quantities of methamphetamine from a source in Washington, and redistributing in ounce quantities to a number of lower-level dealers around the Missoula area.
When questioned, BROWN admitted his role in the drug dealing, including acknowledging that he was responsible for more than 500 grams of methamphetamine being distributed.
BROWN faces possible penalties of a mandatory 10 years in prison and could be sentenced to life in prison, a $4,000,000 fine and 5 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Van de Wetering prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
