FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, December 20, 2007
CARRIE LYNN McLEAN 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 Great Falls on December 20, 2007, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, CARRIE LYNN McLEAN, a 31-year-old resident of Great Falls, pled guilty to conspiracy, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Sentencing is set for April 17, 2008. She 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 August 24, 2007, S&C Wrecker Service towed a 2005 Chevy van from the alley near McLEAN'S house due to a parking violation. Upon checking the VIN of the van, S&C employees determined that it was stolen. Law enforcement determined that the vehicle had been stolen from a construction company in Indianapolis, Indiana, on or about August 13, 2007. The vehicle was towed to the Great Falls Police Department.
Recovered during a search of the van were: a Senco staple gun, Senco nail gun, Milwaukee circular saw, Milwaukee sawzall, Trac fastener, Honda powerwasher, a blue bag containing hundreds of rounds of various ammunition, and a Remington M700 .338 winchester magnum rifle. Located in the blue bag was a leather ammunition belt with a pouch containing a Fish and Game license belonging to D.M. D.M. and M.M. were contacted and they advised the officers that their business had been burglarized and power tools as well as the blue duffle bag and rifle had been stolen. D.M. and M.M. verified that the tools, duffle bag, and rifle located in the stolen van belonged to them.
On September 17, 2007, M.M. also discovered that business checks had been taken in the burglary because 16 forged checks had come through his bank account at U.S. Bank. Several different names were used in the "pay to the order of" on the checks.
When questioned, McLEAN advised investigators that an individual had provided her with the D.M. and M.M. business checks, and told her to use them when and if she needed money, groceries, etc. McLEAN also admitted that she had used her computer to print the checks so that they would appear to be legitimate payroll checks.
McLEAN faces possible penalties of 30 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and 5 years supervised release. In addition, McLEAN faces an additional mandatory two year imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence, for aggravated identity theft.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl E. Rostad prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Great Falls Police Department.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
