The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings on July 1, 2010, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, MIRANDA LEE SHERIDAN, age 25, pled guilty to being a felon-in-possession of a firearm. Sentencing has been set for September 29, 2010. She is currently detained.

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

On February 6, 2007, SHERIDAN was sentenced to three years deferred in Missoula County for issuing bad checks-common scheme. This sentence was revoked on December 18, 2007, and SHERIDAN was sentenced to 8 years, with 5 years suspended. As of October 2009, SHERIDAN was on conditional release from the Women's Prison in Billings.

On October 8, 2009, SHERIDAN's probation officer went to the residence of another offender, S.V., who tested positive for methamphetamine. Additionally, the officer received information that SHERIDAN and her brother had involvement in a burglary of large amounts of cash ($60,000 to $80,000) in another county. When the probation officer and other officers arrived at the residence of S.V., they observed SHERIDAN walking rapidly or running away from a vehicle that was parked out front. This vehicle was known to belong to SHERIDAN, although it was temporarily registered to a friend of hers, L.S., who was also supervised by the same probation officer.

S.V. told the probation officer that the woman they saw walking away from the vehicle was in fact SHERIDAN and that the vehicle belonged to SHERIDAN. The officer decided to search the vehicle. In the trunk, the probation officer located a Cobra model FS380 .380 semi-auto pistol. The firearm was loaded with 5 rounds in the magazine. Also in the trunk was a box of 45 rounds of .380 ammunition; $3,000 in cash; assorted drug paraphernalia and several items of clothing and several pairs of new men's shoes.

A witness would testify the recovered firearm was not manufactured in the State of Montana and traveled in or affected interstate commerce before SHERIDAN possessed them.

SHERIDAN faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least 3 years supervised release.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between Montana Probation and Parole and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.

 

 

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