FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
JOHN MARONEY 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 Billings on February 27, 2008, before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, JOHN MARONEY, age 21, pled guilty to being a felon-in-possession of a firearm. Sentencing is set for June 4, 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 February 20, 2007, MARONEY was sentenced on burglary, theft, and criminal mischief, all felony charges, in Park County.
On June 29, 2007, a Livingston Police officer received a report of a stolen 9mm pistol. The complainant stated he had left town on June 25, and when he returned on June 28, his 9mm pistol was missing. The complainant stated MARONEY and others were at his residence while he was gone. He said he spoke to MARONEY about the whereabouts of his pistol, but MARONEY said he did not know where the gun was. The stolen pistol was identified as a Hi-Point Model C, 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
On July 3, 2007, the officer received information that the pistol had been pawned at Action Pawn in Livingston by MARONEY. The officer went to the Park County jail and met with MARONEY, who was in custody on other charges and a probation violation. MARONEY admitted to possession of the firearm and to pawning it, but he denied knowing the firearm was stolen.
MARONEY'S supervising probation officer advised law enforcement that he had previously warned MARONEY not to possess firearms and had taken a firearm from MARONEY during a previous supervision.
MARONEY faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ed Zink prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Livingston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
