FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 17, 2008
MARCKUS JAMES GOVE 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 Great Falls, on March 17, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, MARCKUS JAMES GOVE, a 21-year-old resident of Great Falls, appeared for sentencing. GOVE was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 21 months, consecutive to another sentence
- Special Assessment: $100
- Forfeiture: 9mm handgun
- Supervised Release: 3 years
GOVE was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to being in possession of a firearm while under information for a felony offense.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On May 16, 2006, an Information was filed in the Montana Eighth Judicial District, Cascade County, charging GOVE with failure to return rental property, a felony. GOVE was arrested on that charge on June 8, 2006, and appeared before the court for his arraignment on July 6, 2006. As of October 30, 2006, the date GOVE purchased the firearm, that case was still pending.
On October 30, 2006, Great Falls Police Department officers responded to the Hampton Inn in Great Falls on a report that drugs were found in a hotel room. Investigators learned that the room had been occupied by GOVE.
When interviewed, GOVE admitted that two and half weeks earlier, he purchased a 9mm pistol from a friend. GOVE met with a Great Falls Police detective and gave him a Hi-Point, Model C9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
On November 2, 2006, detectives interviewed an individual referred to here as "P.G." During the interview, "P.G." admitted to selling this pistol to GOVE for $350 several days prior to the interview. "P.G." provided detectives with a written receipt for the sale of the firearm to GOVE dated October 30, 2006.
As of October 30, 2006, the date GOVE purchased the firearm, the aforementioned case was still pending.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that GOVE will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, GOVE 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 Carl E. Rostad prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Great Falls Police Department, and the Central Montana Drug Task Force.
This conviction is yet another important outcome from Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national priority of the United States Department of Justice. PSN is designed as a partnership between federal and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime and gun-related crime through the vigorous enforcement of the criminal provisions of the federal firearms laws. In Montana, the effort under PSN is called "Catch and No Release."
