FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 07, 2008
KYLE BROWN 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 Missoula, on March 7, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, KYLE BROWN, a 33-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared for sentencing. BROWN was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 135 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Supervised Release: 5 years
BROWN was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
Testimony would have shown that law enforcement officers began hearing that BROWN might be involved in dealing methamphetamine as early as January of 2006. By November of 2006 they were actively seeking him in his Chevy Blazer with the personalized license plate, WARMACH. When a local deputy pulled BROWN over for a traffic violation, BROWN fled. A search of the Blazer revealed 6 one pound bags of marijuana, as well as small quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine. Later searches of BROWN'S motel room and his person revealed additional methamphetamine and more drug paraphernalia.
Agents began to investigate further, conducting interviews of BROWN'S associates. Ultimately they learned from several people who had participated with BROWN in drug deals, or watched him dealing drugs, that he was receiving multiple pound quantities of methamphetamine from a source in Washington, and redistributing in ounce quantities to a number of lower-level dealers around the Missoula area.
When questioned, BROWN admitted his role in the drug dealing, including acknowledging that he was responsible for more than 500 grams of methamphetamine being distributed.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that BROWN will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, BROWN 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 Josh Van de Wetering prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.
