Livingston Felon and Pharmacy Burglar Sentenced

BILLINGS - The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that Bradlee Scott Ledford was sentenced to 36 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided over the hearing.   

On January 2, 2016, Livingston Police Department responded to an alarm at The Plaza strip in Livingston.  Ledford burglarized the Matt Long Photography Studio and Western Drug Store and Pharmacy.  He stole two handguns and $475.00 from the photo studio and approximately 470 various prescription pills from the pharmacy.  Ledford started in the photo studio, and then used one of the stolen handguns to smash the glass at Western Drug.  Both handguns taken from the studio were retrieved - one in the trash near the building and one in the backyard of someone who lived nearby. 

The Western Drug burglary was recorded on surveillance video, and from that video, police officers recognized Ledford in the act. The pharmacy supplied a list of the drugs and the amounts that were stolen.  The replacement cost for the stolen prescription drugs is approximately $1400.  There was also damage to the doors to enter the pharmacy and the store.  Ledford was previously convicted in 2015 of felony theft in Yellowstone County.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the truth in sentencing guidelines mandate that Ledford will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court.  In the federal system, Ledford does have the opportunity to shorten the term of custody by earning credit for good behavior.  However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.      

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart and investigated by the Livingston Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to identify those responsible for significant violent crime in Montana.  A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a recently reinvigorated Department of Justice program that has proven to be successful in reducing violent crime.  Today’s sentencing is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.