Informational: Federal Court Arraignments

The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on June 25, 2013, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch, the following individuals were arraigned:

JERRI ROWHER McCUBBINS, age 61, and SHAWN ANTHONY FERNANDEZ, age 48, residents of Butte, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. McCUBBINS is currently released on special conditions and FERNANDEZ is currently detained. If convicted of these charges, they each face possible penalties of a mandatory minimum of 5 years and could be sentenced to 40 years, a $5,000,000 fine, and 4 years supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette L. Stewart is the prosecutor for the United States. The investigation was a cooperative effort between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and the Butte-Silverbow Law Enforcement Agency.

The defendants pled not guilty to the charges.

The charge, an indictment, information or complaint, is merely an accusation and all persons named as defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A pre-trial conference and a trial date will be set and the United States will be required to prove the allegations set forth in the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt.