Press Release
Informational: Federal Court arraignments
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Montana
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 Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Feb. 24 was:
Aimee Jeanette Bartlette, 40, of Livingston, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bartlette faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Bartlette was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-13.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Feb. 25 was:
Michael Kullberg, 40, of Kalispell, on charges of theft of mail, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Kullberg faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the fraud counts 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 identity theft count. Kullberg was detained pending further proceedings. The Kalispell Police Department, Eureka Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-09.
Appearing on Feb. 23 was:
Aric Collin Normile, 41, of Belgrade, on charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, Normile faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Normile was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. PACER case reference. 22-08.
Appearing on Feb. 22 was:
Michael Russell Torres, 29, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Torres faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Torres was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Missoula Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-07.
Jennifer Don Smith, 37, of Kalispell, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Smith faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the conspiracy and fraud counts and a mandatory 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. Smith was released pending further proceedings. The Eureka Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Kalispell Police Department and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-9.
Nicole Lynn Zinda, 37, of Butte, on charges of unlawfully obtaining a controlled substance. If convicted of the most serious crime, Zinda faces a maximum of four years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Zinda was released pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and St. James Hospital investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-4.
Virginia Kathleen Pearson, 55, of Phillipsburg, on charges of health care fraud, theft of government money, false statements to government agency and Social Security fraud. If convicted of the most serious crime, Pearson faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Pearson was released pending further proceedings. The Social Security Administration and Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-8.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Feb. 22 was:
James Earl Derbyshire, 41, of Stockett, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Derbyshire faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Derbyshire was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Great Falls Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-2.
Eric Guy Boucher, 42, a transient, on charges of possession with intent to distribute meth and drug user in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Boucher faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Boucher was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Russell Country Drug Task Force and Great Falls Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-8.
Jamie Marie Lonefight, 65, of Plentywood, on charges of possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lonefight faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Lonefight was released pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-68.
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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Contact
Clair J. Howard
Public Affairs Officer
406-247-4623
Updated February 25, 2022
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