FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 25, 2008
JAMES DOUGLAS MURRAY ARRAIGNED AND 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 25, 2008, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong, JAMES DOUGLAS MURRAY, a 40-year-old resident of Edmonton, Canada, was arraigned and pled guilty to making false statements. Sentencing is set for May 12, 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 the afternoon of December 27, 2007, MURRAY arrived at the Sweetgrass Port of Entry for inspection for entry into the United States. MURRAY was traveling with a woman and they were purportedly traveling to Great Falls. MURRAY'S name and identifying information were entered into a security computer system, resulting in a positive hit. Both MURRAY and the female companion were referred for secondary inspection.
MURRAY and the female companion completed baggage declaration and immigration declaration forms in writing. MURRAY indicated he was a citizen of Canada and indicated that he had never been deported. However, he did indicate that he had been arrested, fingerprinted, and/or charged with a crime before. MURRAY explained his affirmative answers in writing by stating that he had been, "Arrested served time for break and enter released on parole. Parole expired about 9 years. One charge, B & E in South Carolina 14 years ago."
A Canadian criminal records check revealed MURRAY had 31 convictions for crimes classifiable as crimes involving morale turpitude, spanning years 1984 to 1994. A criminal record in the United States was also found and revealed convictions in South Carolina for burglary, a 3rd degree felony, and grand larceny.
An analysis of MURRAY'S fingerprints revealed that he had been deported from the United States on April 14, 1994, through Atlanta, Georgia.
MURRAY faces possible penalties of 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Horsman prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Port of Sweetgrass.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
