FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
INFORMATIONAL: FEDERAL COURT ARRAIGNMENT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings, on March 3, 2008, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn S. Ostby, the following individual was arraigned:
JOSEPH DEAN BERGIE, a 41-year-old resident of Poplar, appeared on a charge of escape. He is currently detained. If convicted of this charge, BERGIE faces possible penalties of 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia Hurd is the prosecutor for the United States. The investigation was conducted by the United States Marshal Service.
The defendant pled not guilty to the charge.
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.
Amy Finnegan
Legal Assistant
U.S. Attorney's Office
406-247-4621
