Kahly Dawn Connell Sentenced in U.S. District Court
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on June 13, 2011, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, KAHLY DAWN CONNELL, a 21-year-old resident of Great Falls, appeared for sentencing. CONNELL was sentenced to a term of:
Prison: 12 months
Special Assessment: $100
Supervised Release: 3 years
CONNELL was sentenced in connection with her guilty plea to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael T. Wolfe, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On April 12, 2010, Blackfeet Safe Trails Task Force agents conducted an interview with CONNELL during which he admitted to purchasing one ounce of methamphetamine for $2,100 in late December or early January 2010 from two individuals at a motel in East Glacier. CONNELL also admitted that she met these same two individuals twice more, in late February or early March 2010, to purchase more methamphetamine. CONNELL purchased one ounce of methamphetamine from these individuals for $2,300 at a meeting place just off Highway 2, close to West Glacier, and then purchased an unknown amount of methamphetamine for $700 at a meeting place on the highway between Browning and Heart Butte.
Other individuals involved in this conspiracy were interviewed and corroborated that CONNELL was involved in the trafficking of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. CONNELL also collected money owed for methamphetamine that was previously fronted. The money CONNELL collected would then be used to purchase more methamphetamine for distribution.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that CONNELL will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, CONNELL 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 Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
