FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 14, 2008
INFORMATIONAL: FEDERAL COURT ARRAIGNMENT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula, on February 14, 2008, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch, the following individual was arraigned:
NATHAN PLOUFFE, a 37-year-old resident of St. Ignatius, appeared on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography. He is currently detained. If convicted of these charges, PLOUFFE faces possible penalties of a mandatory 5 years in prison and could be sentenced to 20 years, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd is the prosecutor for the United States. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The defendant pled not guilty to the charges.
The charge, an indictment, information or complaint, is merely an accusation and any person named as a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. A pre-trial conference and a trial date will be set and the United States will be required to prove the allegations set forth in the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt.
