FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
LANCE WINSLOW STODDARD 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 January 15, 2008, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong, LANCE WINSLOW STODDARD, a 37-year-old resident of Belt, pled guilty to attempted manufacture of methamphetamine and being a felon-in-possession of a firearm. Sentencing is set for April 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 November 28, 2006, STODDARD was convicted of felony drug possession in Missoula County. An Intertec Arms (Tech 9), 9mm caliber semi automatic pistol with a Hell Fire Trigger system and a threaded barrel for the attachment of a flash suppressor and a flash suppressor were seized in the Missoula County case.
In May of 2007, Central Montana Drug Task Force (CMDTF) agents received information that STODDARD was operating a methamphetamine lab in his garage in Belt. The information included an allegation that STODDARD had taken possession of large quantities of matchbooks with striker plates from Montana Broom and Brush, a wholesaler of supplies for hotels, restaurants and other commercial businesses. The striker plates on matchbooks contain red phosphorous, a precursor chemical used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
On May 30, 2007, a search of STODDARD'S residence was conducted by Montana Probation and Parole, assisted by the CMDTF. Agents found a substantial amount of drug paraphernalia inside the residence.
In the garage, the agents discovered a methamphetamine lab; so defined because of the presence of glassware, gas burners, match book striker plates (red phosphorous), iodine, salt, and other items commonly found at meth lab sites. CMDTF detectives, who had received extensive training in meth lab site analysis, determined that the lab had likely been operated within the week prior to the search as much of the evidence - i.e., iodine soaked rags - were still moist. The agents also recovered two firearms, a loaded Remington, Model 742, 30.06 caliber rifle and a 20 gauge Mossberg shotgun, Model 185KC, in the garage next to the meth lab.
STODDARD faces possible penalties of 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl E. Rostad prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
# # # #
A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
