The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on April 29, 2010, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, SALVATORE RICHARD CACCAVALLO, age 57, appeared for sentencing. CACCAVALLO was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 87 months

• Special Assessment: $300

• Forfeiture: laptop computer and printer

• Supervised Release: 3 years

CACCAVALLO was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and possession of stolen firearms.

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

On September 17, 2007, CACCAVALLO applied for credit with the Matco Tools dealer in Bozeman. He used the name R.B.H. (name withheld to protect privacy) and R.B.H.'s social security number on the application and purchased approximately $4,735 in tools. CACCAVALLO did not make any payments for the tools and instead pawned most of them in and around Bozeman. Matco Tools used wire communications (the telephone) in interstate commerce to process CACCAVALLO's credit application. The Matco dealer reported CACCAVALLO's conduct to the Bozeman Police Department and later identified a photo of CACCAVALLO as the person who represented himself to be R.B.H.

On October 17, 2008, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office received a report concerning a stolen firearm, a Remington .22-caliber rifle, Model 521-T, with no serial number. The victim of that theft told law enforcement that CACCAVALLO, who he knew as D.C., had recently rented a room from him. While CACCAVALLO was living with the victim, the victim noticed that his .22-caliber rifle was missing. CACCAVALLO denied taking the rifle, but the victim asked him to move out, which he did, and reported the theft to law enforcement.

On October 24, 2008, law enforcement contacted CACCAVALLO at a bar in Missoula. He initially identified himself as D.C., but later admitted that he was CACCAVALLO. He admitted using false identities and making false documents in the names of those identities, including the name D.C. He initially denied stealing the rifle referenced above, but later told the interviewing officer that he should look at a Missoula pawn shop if he wanted to find the gun. CACCAVALLO admitted that he stole the rifle and said he asked another man to pawn the rifle for him. The rifle was located at the pawn shop described by CACCAVALLO.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that CACCAVALLO will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, CACCAVALLO 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Missoula County Sheriff's Office.

 

 

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