Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Helena, on September 17, 2009, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, LORI ANN MEIGS, a 43-year-old resident of Bozeman, appeared for sentencing. MEIGS was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 36 months

• Special Assessment: $100

• Supervised Release: 5 years

MEIGS was sentenced in connection with her guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

In 2004, William Feight began buying "eight balls" of methamphetamine from T.E., generally for personal use. T.E. was eventually arrested and his Mexican sources of supply approached Feight about selling the methamphetamine that they were bringing into the Bozeman area. Feight agreed and began receiving one ounce of meth from E.C. every one to three days from the summer of 2007 until September of 2008. Feight normally received the methamphetamine from E.C. at Lindley Park in Bozeman. During an interview with law enforcement, Feight estimated that he met E.C. at the park 20 to 50 times to obtain ounce quantities of methamphetamine.

MEIGS, who met Feight in approximately 2005, assisted him in obtaining and distributing methamphetamine. On one occasion, MEIGS accompanied Feight to Washington to buy two ounces of methamphetamine for $2,400. On another occasion, MEIGS and Feight traveled to Idaho to purchase methamphetamine. One witness would have testified to seeing MEIGS routinely weigh methamphetamine for Feight during drug transactions.

On June 15, 2007, law enforcement officers monitored the controlled purchase of an eight ball of methamphetamine from Feight and MEIGS.

On November 28, 2007, Feight and another individual were stopped by the Montana Highway Patrol and Feight's vehicle was impounded. Before law enforcement officers could obtain and execute a search warrant on that vehicle, Feight and his passenger broke into the impound lot and the vehicle. Witnesses and Feight later stated that a quantity of methamphetamine was removed from Feight's vehicle during the break-in. MEIGS was present during that break-in.

On July 20, 2008, Feight was arrested following a vehicle pursuit with a Gallatin County Sheriff's deputy. Feight eventually left the car and fled on foot before he was arrested. MEIGS was present during the pursuit, and drove the car while the arresting officer followed Feight on foot. Law enforcement officers searched the car and seized approximately 37 grams of methamphetamine (11.1 grams of actual meth).

In November 2008, following Feight's arrest on federal charges, MEIGS sold one-quarter gram of methamphetamine to W.L., a drug customer of Feight's. W.L. - and other Feight customers - had purchased meth from MEIGS on prior occasions as well, when Feight was periodically incarcerated on state drug charges.

Feight pled guilty to federal charges and has been sentenced.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that MEIGS will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, MEIGS does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Missouri River Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration in Billings.

 

 

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