Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula, on May 21, 2009, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch, WILLIAM JOHN FEIGHT, a 45-year-old resident of Bozeman, appeared for sentencing. FEIGHT was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 151 months

• Special Assessment: $100

• Supervised Release: 10 years

FEIGHT was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 500 or more grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectible amount of methamphetamine.

In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

In 2004, FEIGHT, who has a prior conviction from 1996 for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, began buying "eight balls" of methamphetamine from an individual, hereafter referred to as "John Doe," generally for personal use. "John Doe" was eventually arrested and his Mexican sources of supply approached FEIGHT about selling the methamphetamine that they were bringing into the Bozeman area. FEIGHT agreed and began receiving one ounce of meth from another individual, hereafter referred to as "Tom Doe," every one to three days from the summer of 2007 until September of 2008. FEIGHT normally received the methamphetamine from "Tom Doe" at Lindley Park in Bozeman. During an interview with law enforcement, FEIGHT estimated that he met "Tom Doe" at the park 20 to 50 times to obtain ounce quantities of methamphetamine.

Various individuals who purchased methamphetamine from FEIGHT were interviewed by law enforcement. One individual said he received at least one pound of meth from FEIGHT between April and October 2007. "John Doe" told officers that FEIGHT told him that he (FEIGHT) could obtain as much as five pounds of meth from his Mexican sources at one time, but "John Doe" suspected the actual amount to be substantially less than that. Another individual estimated that he received between two and one-half and three pounds of methamphetamine from FEIGHT from approximately the summer of 2007 until March 2008.

On November 28, 2007, FEIGHT and another individual were stopped by the Montana Highway Patrol and FEIGHT'S vehicle was impounded. Before law enforcement officers could obtain and execute a search warrant on that vehicle, FEIGHT and his passenger broke into the impound lot and the vehicle. Witnesses and FEIGHT later said that a quantity of methamphetamine was removed from FEIGHT'S vehicle during the break-in.

On December 21, 2007, FEIGHT'S vehicle was again impounded following a traffic stop. Law enforcement officers searched the vehicle and seized approximately 40 grams of methamphetamine (18.6 grams of actual meth).

On July 20, 2008, FEIGHT was arrested following a vehicle pursuit with a Gallatin County Sheriff's deputy. His car was searched and law enforcement seized approximately 37 grams of methamphetamine (11.1 grams of actual meth).

On September 22, 2008, FEIGHT was arrested for driving with a suspended license. Just prior to the arrest, FEIGHT got out of his car and put a quantity of methamphetamine in the back of a truck parked next to his car.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that FEIGHT will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, FEIGHT does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Racicot prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missouri River Drug Task Force.

 

 

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