Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula, on March 27, 2009, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, WILLIAM DALE NEWHOFF JR., a 26-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared for sentencing. NEWHOFF was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 78 months, consecutive to state sentences

• Special Assessment: $200

• Community Service: 100 hours

• Supervised Release: 3 years

NEWHOFF was sentenced after having been found guilty during a 3-day trial of being a felon-in-possession of a firearm and being in possession of a stolen firearm.

U.S. Attorney Mercer stated, "When we launched Project Safe Neighborhood in 2002 to combat violent crime through the vigorous enforcement of the federal firearms laws, our vision was to protect Montana communities from defendants like Bill Newhoff. As noted in court, his criminal record started as a young juvenile and has continued unabated. This case, premised upon his possession of a firearm obtained in a burglary although he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of his felony record, is just one of his latest offenses. With the help of local law enforcement partners like the Missoula County Sheriff's Office in this case, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Attorney's Office will continue to be vigilant in ensuring that repeat offenders who are a persistent threat to their communities will be prosecuted and sentenced in a way to enhance public safety."

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that NEWHOFF will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, NEWHOFF 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 Paulette L. Stewart prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Missoula County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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."

 

 

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