Informational: Federal Court Arraignments
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared recently before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Dec. 20 was:
Aaron Clifford Olson, 50, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Olson faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Olson was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-134.
Appearing on Dec. 16 was:
Travis Ridenour, aka Travis Lamere, 34, of Billings, on charges of aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ridenour faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and a mandatory minimum five years of supervised release. Ridenour was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-111.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Dec. 19 was:
Brian George Funk, 53, of Spokane, Washington, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Funk faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Funk was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-121.
Ian Ray Stewart, 24, of Great Falls, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Stewart faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Stewart was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-89.
Appearing on Dec. 15 was:
Danyell Rose Black Dog, 22, of Poplar, on charges of possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth resulting in death. If convicted of the most serious crime, Black Dog faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Black Dog was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-98.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
