FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 08, 2008
TRACY BERNARD HARPER 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 Billings, on February 7, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, TRACY BERNARD HARPER, a resident of Billings, appeared for sentencing. HARPER was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 280 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Supervised Release: 10 years
HARPER was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to conspiracy with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine) and distribution of over 50 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine).
At the sentencing proceeding, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
Between 2004 and 2005, HARPER was involved in a conspiracy to obtain powder cocaine which was then converted to crack cocaine. During the period of the conspiracy, HARPER traveled out of state to pick up powder cocaine. HARPER was also involved in receiving and distributing both powder cocaine and crack in the Billings area.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that HARPER will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, HARPER 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 James E. Seykora prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Billings Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
