FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 25, 2008
TOM LANROSE SENTENCED IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula, on January 25, 2008, before Chief U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, TOM LANROSE, a 55-year-old resident of Hawaii (formerly of Hamilton), appeared for sentencing. LANROSE was sentenced to a term of:
- Home Arrest: 6 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Probation: 36 months
LANROSE was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to possession of a sawed-off shotgun.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
Law enforcement were advised that LANROSE was growing marijuana at his residence outside of Hamilton. On March 28, 2005, a search warrant was obtained for LANROSE'S residence.
At the residence, police seized marijuana and growing equipment. LANROSE had a door hidden behind a bookshelf that was on wheels. The door led to a hidden room that contained a large diesel tank and growing lights. Concealed in the room were an SKS assault rifle and a significant amount of ammunition. Hidden elsewhere were other guns and ammunition.
The sawed-off shotgun, a Winchester 12-gauge short barrel shotgun containing live ammunition, was found under a window in the master bedroom of the house. The window provided a second story view of the roadway leading into the neighborhood and to the only driveway to the residence.
The barrel of the shotgun was 16 inches long. A shotgun must be lawfully registered if its barrel is less than 18 inches. The barrel and stock of the shotgun appeared to have been altered, and a flashlight was mounted on top of the barrel.
No registration of the shotgun by LANROSE was found during a review of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that LANROSE will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, LANROSE does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric B. Wolff prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This conviction is yet another important outcome from Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national priority of the United States Department of Justice. PSN is designed as a partnership between federal and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime and gun-related crime through the vigorous enforcement of the criminal provisions of the federal firearms laws. In Montana, the effort under PSN is called "Catch and No Release."
