![News and Press Releases](/archive/usao/images/subBanner-News.gif)
Informational: Federal Court Arraignment
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on April 1, 2009, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong, the following individual was arraigned:
JUDY MARIE LAVERDURE, a 38-year-old resident of Great Falls, appeared on a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She is currently detained. If convicted of this charge, LAVERDURE faces possible penalties of a mandatory minimum of ten years up to life in prison, a $4,000,000 fine and five years supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl E. Rostad is the prosecutor for the United States. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Great Falls Police Department.
The defendant pled not guilty to the charge.
The charge, an indictment, information or complaint, is merely an accusation and any person named as a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. A pre-trial conference and a trial date will be set and the United States will be required to prove the allegations set forth in the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt.