Informational: Federal Court arraignments

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Nov. 1 was:

Casey Mills Howard, 20, of Rexford, on charges of transportation of child pornography, distribution of child pornography and receipt of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Howard faces a mandatory minimum five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Howard was released pending further proceedings. The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-48.

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Nov. 4 was:

Daniel James Garza, 31, a transient, on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Garza faces a maximum 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the bank fraud count and a mandatory minimum two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft count. Garza was detained pending further proceedings. The Billing Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-88.

Appearing in Great Falls before Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris and pleading not guilty on Nov. 3 was:

Scotty Ray Steen, 50, of Great Falls, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Steen faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug crime and a mandatory consecutive five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm in relation to drug trafficking crime. Steen was detained pending further proceedings. The Russell Country Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-88.

The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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