FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 29, 2008
FRANCIS EDWARD SHOESTOCK 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 Helena, on February 29, 2008, before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell, FRANCIS EDWARD SHOESTOCK, a 40-year-old resident of Helena, appeared for sentencing. SHOESTOCK was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 41 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Supervised Release: 3 years
SHOESTOCK was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to being in possession of a sawed-off shotgun.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
In 1992, SHOESTOCK was convicted of forgery in Arizona and was thereby prohibited from possessing firearms.
On May 11, 2007, after having received information that SHOESTOCK was in possession of a sawed-off shotgun, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted a search of SHOESTOCK'S apartment. Recovered during the search were a sawed-off shotgun and a pistol. The shotgun had a barrel length of approximately 15.75 inches.
When questioned, SHOESTOCK admitted to possession of the sawed-off shotgun. He stated that he was holding the shotgun for a friend and that he knew the barrel was cut short.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that SHOESTOCK will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, SHOESTOCK 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 a cooperative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Missouri River Drug Task Force.
