Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula on June 4, 2009, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, SHAWN TRENT BURRESS, a 47-year-old resident of Kalispell, pled guilty to being a felon-in-possession of ammunition. Sentencing is set for October 15, 2009. He is currently released on special conditions.

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

On November 15, 2008, BURRESS, a convicted felon, was under state supervision, for failure to register as a sex offender and thereby prohibited from possession of any firearms or ammunition when Whitefish Police officers stopped him for traffic violations.

BURRESS was detained pending the investigation and when an officer patted him down, the officer found a .30 caliber round in his pocket. The officer also located four rounds of .30 caliber ammunition in the front cup holder of the vehicle, a box for .30 caliber ammunition in the passenger compartment, and a receipt for the .30 caliber ammunition dated November 15, 2008. The officer later recovered video from the local sporting goods store where BURRESS purchased the ammunition which clearly showed BURRESS purchasing the ammunition and paying for the ammunition with a personal check.

BURRESS faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette L. Stewart prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Whitefish Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.

 

 

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