Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings, on August 24, 2009, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, DEBBIE SCHLEINING, a 48-year-old resident of Billings, appeared for sentencing. SCHLEINING was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 30 months

• Special Assessment: $100

• Supervised Release: 3 years

SCHLEINING was sentenced in connection with her guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of marijuana.

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

SCHLEINING was involved with other individuals in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of between 60 and 80 kilograms of marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance, in the Billings area.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that SCHLEINING will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, SCHLEINING 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 a cooperative effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.

 

 

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