Crystal Gretchen Nomee Sentenced In U.S. District Court

The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on January 3, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, CRYSTAL GRETCHEN NOMEE, a 34-year-old resident of Lodge Grass, appeared for sentencing. NOMEE was sentenced to a term of:

Prison: 37 months

Special Assessment: $100

Supervised Release: 5 years

NOMEE was sentenced in connection with her guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

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

Leroy "Bucky" Smith came to the attention of law enforcement in approximately 2007 in Big Horn County and on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations as it was common knowledge that he was a distributor of methamphetamine believed to be getting his supply from Billings. One individual gave law enforcement information about methamphetamine dealings with Smith from 2008 through June of 2010. Several confidential informants also provided information on Smith's distribution of methamphetamine, from 2007 to the present, as well as their further distribution of that methamphetamine.

During the investigation, law enforcement learned that NOMEE was one of the people who purchased methamphetamine for resale to customers in the area, as well as for her own personal use from approximately 2010 through October 2011. Law enforcement also received specific information that Smith was dealing with NOMEE.

On October 13, 2011, the two met at a parking lot in Hardin where Smith sold her 3.5 grams of methamphetamine. She was stopped a short time later and the drugs recovered. When questioned, NOMEE admitted her role within the conspiracy and admitted that she had a methamphetamine problem.

Smith pled guilty to federal charges and has been sentenced.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that NOMEE will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, NOMEE 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 Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.