The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on November 10, 2011, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, MICHAEL KASSNER, a 24-year-old resident of Kalispell, appeared for sentencing. KASSNER was sentenced to a term of:

Prison: 12 months and 1 day

Special Assessment: $100

Supervised Release: 3 years

KASSNER was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana.

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

In approximately September 2010, and continuing through March 14, 2011, KASSNER, Tyler Roe, and others, started and continued a marijuana grow operation in Kalispell.

Another individual owned the building and assisted in transforming the building into a proper marijuana plant growing facility. During the above referenced time period, KASSNER and Roe resided at the premises and grew hundreds of marijuana plants. Roe considered himself the "on-site manager" of the grow operation and the electricity bill for the building was in KASSNER's name.

On March 14, 2011, a search warrant was executed and approximately 718 marijuana plants were recovered by members of law enforcement.

When questioned by law enforcement, both KASSNER and Roe admitted to the facts as stated above.

Roe pled guilty to federal charges and is awaiting sentencing.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that KASSNER will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, KASSNER 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 a cooperative effort between the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force.

 

 

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