FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 19, 2008
KARIS BLANK 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 Billings, on May 19, 2008, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, KARIS BLANK, a 42-year-old resident of Laurel, appeared for sentencing. BLANK was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 12 months and 1 day
- Special Assessment: $600
- Restitution: $37,462.66
- Supervised Release: 3 years
BLANK was sentenced after having been found guilty during a 4-day trial of disability fraud and wire fraud.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that BLANKl likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, BLANK 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 Leif M. Johnson prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Postal Service.
