Information: Federal Court Arraignments

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that those persons listed below were arraigned before the U.S. Magistrate and the indictments handed down by the Grand Jury unsealed.

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Johnston in Great Falls, on January 7, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• JAMES ANTHONY WESTERMAN, a 46-year-old resident of Helena, appeared on charges of failure to register as a sexual offender.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, WESTERMAN faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and lifetime supervised release.  The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol.  PACER Case Reference.  15-14

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Johnston in Great Falls, on January 5, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• BRANDON JOE ELKINS, a 31-year-old resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma, appeared on charges of receipt of child pornography, possession with intent to distribute methadone, and distribution of methadone to individual under 21 years old.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, ELKINS faces 40 years in prison, $2,000,000 in fines and lifetime supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  PACER Case Reference.  15-79

• SANDY MEREDITH HAYES, a 52-year-old resident of Sand Coulee, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, HAYES faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and lifetime supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Great Falls Police Department and Montana Probation and Parole.  PACER Case Reference.  15-34

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ostby in Billings, on January 5, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• TESSIE KAY HAMILTON, a 36-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, HAMILTON faces 20 years in prison, $1,000,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the FBI Task Force.  PACER Case Reference.  15-143

• GARY LEE QUIGG, a 67-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine..  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, QUIGG faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines and 4 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.  PACER Case Reference.  15-147

• EARL SAMUEL WALTERS, a 56-year-old resident of Beach, North Dakota, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm and conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, WALTERS faces 20 years in prison, $1,000,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  PACER Case Reference.  15-91

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Lynch in Missoula, on January 4, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• SAMUEL R. FRISCIA, a 25-year-old resident of Polson, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, FRISCIA faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  PACER Case Reference.  15-28

• RAINY LEE LAMERE, a 30-year-old resident of Great Falls, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, LAMERE faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Missoula Police Department.  PACER Case Reference.  15-29

• SHACOTTA ST. ONGE, a 22-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, ST. ONGE faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.  PACER Case Reference.  15-36

• WADE PATRICK WRIGHT, a 48-year-old resident of Columbia Falls, appeared on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, WRIGHT faces life in prison, $1,000,000 in fines and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.  PACER Case Reference.  15-25

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ostby in Billings, on December 29, 2015 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• DALE VERNAL CAMPBELL, a 42-year-old resident of Lame Deer, appeared on charges of failure to register as a sexual offender.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, CAMPBELL faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and lifetime supervised release.  The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.  PACER Case Reference.  15-85

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ostby in Billings, on December 28, 2015 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• FRANK WAYNE REINKE, a 49-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm and possession of stolen firearms.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, REINKE faces 15 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  PACER Case Reference.  15-31

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Lynch in Missoula, on December 28, 2015 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• KATRINA LYNN EVERHART, a 47-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, EVERHART faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.  PACER Case Reference.  15-42

• LOGAN RIVERS WENIGER, a 34-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of firearms.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, WENIGER faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.  PACER Case Reference.  15-42

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system so that you stay current and not miss any important developments in the case.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.