FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 13, 2008
MAURICE RONALD ARCHER 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 March 12, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, MAURICE RONALD ARCHER, a 66-year-old resident of West Yellowstone, pled guilty to being a felon-in-possession of a firearm. Sentencing is set for July 10, 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 May 19, 1981, ARCHER was convicted in the State of New York of robbery with a firearm.
On and prior to February 2, 2006, ARCHER was in possession of eleven firearms. His wife stated that ARCHER had directed her to get rid of the firearms for him - and not by turning the firearms over to law enforcement. ARCHER had wanted to her to sell the firearms at National Pawn in Bozeman for him. She also stated that ARCHER had acquired all of the firearms during their marriage by purchasing firearms from individuals and not stores due to his felony conviction. They were married in 1984.
Numerous witnesses from West Yellowstone would have testified that they observed ARCHER in possession of various firearms over the last several years. Further testimony would have included various hunting trips as well as ARCHER driving around West Yellowstone with a pistol in a shoulder holster prior to February 2006.
Another individual would have testified that he sold four different firearms to ARCHER, not knowing that ARCHER was a convicted felon.
ARCHER faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette L. Stewart prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was conducted by 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.
