The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on June 1, 2011, before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, J. DANIEL PETERS, a 39-year-old resident of Billings, appeared for sentencing. PETERS was sentenced to a term of:

Prison: 48 months

Special Assessment: $100

Supervised Release: 5 years

PETERS was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

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

Beginning in approximately December 2007, and continuing until about November 2009, PETERS and other individuals purchased and distributed in excess of 500 grams of methamphetamine throughout Montana, including Yellowstone County.

Specifically, during this time period:

Confidential Source (CS) #1 would have testified that s/he supplied approximately 680 grams of methamphetamine to PETERS. Additionally, this source would have testified to receiving one ounce of methamphetamine from PETERS.

Confidential Source (CS) #2 would have testified that s/he supplied approximately 737 grams of methamphetamine to PETERS.

The government would also have introduced at least one recorded phone call from CS #2 to PETERS in which payment for a drug transaction was discussed.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that PETERS will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, PETERS 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Billings Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force.

 

 

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