FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
JASON HARRIS 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 Great Falls, on February 4, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, JASON HARRIS, a 23-year-old resident of Havre, appeared for sentencing. HARRIS was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 16 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Supervised Release: 3 years
HARRIS was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to making a false statement during a firearm transaction.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On January 30, 2007, Tri-Agency Safe Trails Task Force agents executed a search warrant at HARRIS' house in Box Elder. A Ruger .22 caliber rifle was recovered from between the mattress and box springs of HARRIS' bed. The officers also located marijuana (approximately 95 grams packaged in 1/8 ounce packages) and drug paraphernalia.
During an interview later the same day, HARRIS admitted to ownership and possession of the firearm. HARRIS also admitted to long-term use of marijuana. He stated that he had used 1/8 of an ounce every day or two since he was a juvenile - at least five years.
HARRIS admitted that on October 31, 2006, he went to Strombergs Sinclair & Hunt Sports in Havre and filled out an ATF Form 4473 when he purchased the Ruger .22 caliber rifle. On the form, HARRIS denied that he was an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana, or any depressant, stimulant, or narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance by writing, "no" to question 11e. By this answer, the employee at Strombergs Sinclair & Hunt Sports proceeded with selling HARRIS the rifle. HARRIS further admitted that had he truthfully completed the form, he would not have received the firearm.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that HARRIS will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, HARRIS 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 Paulette L. Stewart prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the Tri-Agency Safe Trails Task Force.
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."
