Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings on May 27, 2009, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, MARIO VARGAS-SAENZ, a 37-year-old citizen of Mexico, pled guilty to two counts of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Sentencing is set for September 2, 2009. He is currently detained.

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

Testimony from witnesses would have shown that in 2008, VARGAS-SAENZ possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.

VARGAS-SAENZ faces possible penalties of a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and could be sentenced to life, a $4,000,000 fine and at least 5 years supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Seykora prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was conducted by the Billings Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force.

 

 

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