FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 18, 2008
JAMES BLODGETT 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 July 18, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, JAMES BLODGETT, a 24-year-old resident of Port Orchard, Washington, appeared for sentencing. BLODGETT was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 245 days (time served) plus an additional 60 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Supervised Release: 5 years
BLODGETT was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to possession with the intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
Testimony of law enforcement officers would have been provided detailing a search of the motel room BLODGETT was sharing with another individual. During the search of the room, officers discovered a backpack that contained a .45 caliber pistol, approximately an ounce of marijuana, packaging supplies, and a scale.
BLODGETT was arrested and taken to jail. Later, BLODGETT called a friend and described to her that his backpack with his marijuana and handgun had been taken by law enforcement. The phone call was recorded and would have been introduced into evidence.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that BLODGETT will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, BLODGETT 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.
