Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings, on September 23, 2009, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, MARIO VARGAS-SAENZ, a 37-year-old citizen of Mexico, appeared for sentencing. VARGAS-SAENZ was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 10 years

• Special Assessment: $200

• Supervised Release: 5 years

VARGAS-SAENZ was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to two counts of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

Testimony from witnesses would have shown that in 2008, VARGAS-SAENZ possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that VARGAS-SAENZ will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, VARGAS-SAENZ 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 James E. Seykora prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was conducted by the Billings Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force.

 

 

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