Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Helena, on September 16, 2009, before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell, CODY JAMES INGRAHAM appeared for sentencing. INGRAHAM was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 28 months

• Special Assessment: $100

• Supervised Release: 3 years

INGRAHAM was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to being a felon-in-possession of stolen firearms.

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

Between October 27, 2008, and November 3, 2008, David Lloyd possessed two stolen firearms. The firearms were a Ruger .45 caliber revolver and a Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun. Lloyd also possessed a third firearm in this time frame, a Hi-Point .45 caliber pistol. The Ruger revolver and Mossberg shotgun were stolen in a Deer Lodge residential burglary on October 27, 2008. The owner reported the burglary very early on the 28th when he arrived home from work and was able to provide complete information regarding the firearms.

Numerous Deer Lodge residents provided law enforcement information regarding INGRAHAM'S possession of the two stolen firearms and Lloyd's possession of the three firearms.

Law enforcement learned that INGRAHAM possessed the two stolen firearms, the Ruger revolver and Mossberg shotgun, on October 27, 2008, at a Deer Lodge residence. INGRAHAM attempted to enter the residence with the firearms but was told to take them outside by the resident. The resident heard INGRAHAM trying to sell the guns while INGRAHAM was on the phone.

Within a day or so, Lloyd had the three firearms for sale. Lloyd returned the Mossberg shotgun to the rightful owner. Lloyd then sold the two handguns to another Deer Lodge resident through that resident's daughter. The daughter gave him the guns, he gave the money to his daughter, and his daughter gave the money to Lloyd.

During the course of their investigation, law enforcement learned that INGRAHAM likely committed the burglary where the Ruger revolver and the Mossberg shotgun were taken.

Lloyd pled guilty to federal charges and has been sentenced.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that INGRAHAM will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, INGRAHAM 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 conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

This conviction is yet another important outcome from Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national priority of the United States Department of Justice. PSN is designed as a partnership between federal and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime and gun-related crime through the vigorous enforcement of the criminal provisions of the federal firearms laws. In Montana, the effort under PSN is called "Catch and No Release."

 

 

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