Daniel Thomas Morrow Sentenced In U.S. District Court

The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on January 9, 2013, before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, DANIEL THOMAS MORROW, a 57-year-old resident of Billings, appeared for sentencing.

MORROW to a term of:

• Prison: 120 months

• Special Assessment: $ 200.00

• Supervised Release: 8 years

MORROW was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

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

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

Law enforcement developed a confidential source from Yakima, Washington, who could distribute methamphetamine in the Billings area. Around September 24, 2011, Cassandra Seal contacted the source and wanted to purchase methamphetamine. Communication between the two continued up until October 14th. Seal and the source set up a deal for half a pound of methamphetamine where half would be paid for and the other half would be fronted. Seal told the source she could sell the fronted four ounces in a few hours and come back with the cash.

On October 14, 2011, the source arrived in Laurel for the drug transaction.

Phone calls were exchanged and Seal arrived at the motel with MORROW and Ali Khan. The individuals talked for a while until the methamphetamine was displayed. Seal stated she had $7,000 cash on her for the deal. MORROW took the meth and spoke about the quality. MORROW poured the methamphetamine out of the bag and onto a plastic tray to further inspect it. Khan assisted him in getting the tray ready to pour the methamphetamine onto. MORROW and Khan then looked at and talked about the quality of it. Law enforcement entered the room and all three individuals were taken into custody.

As Khan was patted down, two semiautomatic handguns were located concealed on his person. One was in a shoulder holster, and it had a loaded magazine and a bullet in the chamber; the other one was in his sweatshirt pocket, and it had a loaded magazine.

MORROW, Khan and Seal conspired with each other to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, and possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.

Seal and Khan pled guilty to federal crimes. Seal has been sentenced and Khan is awaiting sentencing.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that MORROW will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, MORROW 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 Billings Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.