Informational: Federal Court Arraignments
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week 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 Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Jan. 18 was:
Kim Renee Schildt, aka Kim LaPlant, 60, of Browning, on charges of wire fraud and theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Schildt faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Schildt was released pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-83.
Brandon Lamar Louis James, 22, of Southfield, Michigan, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, James faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. James was released pending further proceedings. The FBI, Tri-Agency Task Force, Russell Country High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-72.
Eric John Swensen, 42, of Great Falls, on charges of prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Swensen faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Swensen was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Deer Lodge Police Department, Powell County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol and Montana’s Division of Probation and Parole investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-01.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Jan. 21 was:
Robert Medina, 38, of Miles City, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Medina faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Medina was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-45.
Damian Andrew Roman, 23, a transient, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Roman faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release on the drug crimes and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison consecutive to any other crime, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the crime of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Roman was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-87.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system.
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