FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 18, 2008
PAMELA McCLURE 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 Billings on April 18, 2008, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, PAMELA McCLURE, age 40, pled guilty to making a false statement during a firearms transaction and a false statement regarding information required to be kept by federal firearms dealer. Sentencing is set for August 7, 2008. She is currently released on special conditions.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On July 2, 2007, law enforcement officers apprehended a fugitive who was hiding in a closet inside McCLURE'S residence in Billings. Inside the residence, they discovered 15 firearms, including three "assault-type" weapons, a tactical shotgun, and numerous handguns. They also discovered an active marijuana grow operation consisting of 96 plants. The firearms were placed throughout the residence near portions of the drug grow and many were simply in open view.
Further investigation revealed that McCLURE had purchased three of the recovered guns from a local pawn shop on March 2, 2007.
On July 3, 2007, McCLURE was interviewed. She stated that she had known the fugitive for approximately three to four years and was his girlfriend. McCLURE also stated that she knew he was on probation. McCLURE said the firearms found at the residence belonged to her boyfriend and his cousin. McCLURE also admitted that she had purchased some of the firearms for her boyfriend from a local pawn shop. She said her boyfriend went to the pawn shop and selected some guns he wanted her to purchase before she even arrived. McCLURE also stated that her boyfriend provided the money to her before she went to the pawn shop.
Among the fifteen firearms, investigators located the three that were purchased by McCLURE on March 2, 2007. They were a Beretta Model 96 .40 caliber, semi-automatic pistol; a DPMS A-15, .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle; and a DC Industries M70AB2, 7.62 x 39mm semi-automatic rifle.
An employee at the pawn shop provided officers with the ATF F 4473 firearms transaction form associated with this purchase. On the form, required for a firearms transaction, McCLURE indicated that she was the actual purchaser of the firearms listed on the form. McCLURE also certified that all of the answers to section A were true and correct. A store employee had verified McCLURE'S identity using her Montana driver's license.
McCLURE faces possible penalties of 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ed Zink prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, and 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.
