Robert Yellowhawk, Sr. Sentenced in U.S. District Court
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on February 29, 2012, before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, ROBERT YELLOWHAWK, SR., a 34-year-old resident of Billings, appeared for sentencing. YELLOWHAWK was sentenced to a term of:
Prison: 120 months
Special Assessment: $100
Supervised Release: 5 years
YELLOWHAWK was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Seykora, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On September 6, 2010, YELLOWHAWK was interviewed by law enforcement officers. He admitted to them that he dealt with "XX" in the meth trade. During the oral interview and also in a written signed confession, YELLOWHAWK admitted that he received over 500 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, from "XX" for redistribution.
Again, on September 25, 2010, law enforcement officers again interviewed YELLOWHAWK. Once again, YELLOWHAWK confessed that he had received over 500 grams of methamphetamine from "XX". YELLOWHAWK also admitted he had obtained a source of supply for methamphetamine that went to "XX" during a three-month period and that he started with teeners. Thereafter, YELLOWHAWK confessed that he was receiving 1/4 ounce to 1/2 ounce quantities of methamphetamine every day. YELLOWHAWK calculated that the methamphetamine he distributed to "XX" from this source was about 18 ounces over a three month period.
YELLOWHAWK also admitted to developing other sources of methamphetamine in smaller quantities.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that YELLOWHAWK will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, YELLOWHAWK 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 conducted by the Billings Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force.
