The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on July 14, 2011, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, DELANO MARCEL SANCHEZ, a 35-year-old resident of Logan, appeared for sentencing. SANCHEZ was sentenced to a term of:

Prison: 84 months

Special Assessment: $100

Supervised Release: 8 years

SANCHEZ was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

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:

The Missouri River Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have been investigating a methamphetamine-trafficking organization in the Bozeman area since approximately January of 2010. As the investigation unfolded, SANCHEZ was identified as one of the primary suppliers of methamphetamine in Gallatin County. The investigation revealed that SANCHEZ obtained the methamphetamine that he distributed from several different sources in the Spokane area and personally transported the drugs back to Bozeman.

During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers monitored several controlled purchases of methamphetamine from either SANCHEZ or his then-girlfriend. On the following dates, the agents purchased the following amounts of actual methamphetamine from SANCHEZ or his girlfriend:

� March 12, 2010, 0.56 grams;

� April 7, 2010, 1.3 grams;

� April 22, 2010, 1.1 grams;

� May 13, 2010, 1.2 grams;

� June 5, 2010, 2.3 grams;

� July 6, 2010, .92 grams;

� July 22, 2010, 2.8 grams; and

� August 4, 2010, 5.6 grams.

During the course of many of the above controlled purchases, and at other times, SANCHEZ or his girlfriend made references to their sources of supply in Spokane, usually during discussions about the quality of the methamphetamine that they were obtaining and distributing.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that SANCHEZ will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, SANCHEZ 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 Missouri River Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

 

 

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