FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 28, 2008
DERRICK LAMONT DAVIS 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 Missoula on February 28, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, DERRICK LAMONT DAVIS, a 23-year-old resident of Los Angeles, California, pled guilty to distribution of cocaine to a person under the age of 21. Sentencing is set for July 10, 2008. He is currently released on special conditions.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On June 12, 2006, officers of the Missouri River Drug Task Force (MRDTF) were investigating the illegal distribution of cocaine in Bozeman. Based on a report by a confidential informant, the officers believed DAVIS would sell cocaine to the confidential informant.
The informant, who was over the age of 18, but less than 21 years of age, contacted DAVIS, who agreed to sell approximately one-eighth of an ounce of cocaine to the informant. The officers then fitted the informant with a "body-wire" which would record any conversation to which the informant was a party.
Under the surveillance of the officers, the informant then proceeded to DAVIS' residence. There, DAVIS distributed purported cocaine to the informant in exchange for $200. The informant left DAVIS' residence and provided the purported cocaine to the officers.
The purported cocaine was submitted to the Montana State Crime Lab for chemical analysis. A forensic chemist performed a chemical analysis of the purported cocaine and concluded it consisted of approximately 3.4 grams of a substance or mixture containing a detectable amount of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
DAVIS faces possible penalties of a one year mandatory minimum and could be sentenced to 40 years in prison, a $2,000,000 fine and 6 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. Thaggard prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Missouri River Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
