Federal Court Arraignments For May 26, 2023

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 May 25 was:

Kellen Kantrell Norman, 19, of Polson, on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of an unregistered firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Norman faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release on the drug possession crime and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the crime of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Norman was released pending further proceedings. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-27.

Appearing on May 22 was:

Darcel Portra Saunders, 65, of Bozeman, on charges of bank fraud, wire fraud and false statement to lending institution. If convicted of the most serious crime, Saunders faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release. Saunders was released pending further proceedings. The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-2.

Appearing in Great Falls before Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris and pleading not guilty on May 25 was:

Matthew Martin Brockie, 41, of Harlem, on charges of abusive sexual contact of a child. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brockie faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Brockie was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-19.

Appearing on May 23 before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston was:

Carlos Mauricio Manrique-Frias, 27, of Mexico, on charges of transportation of child pornography, possession of child pornography and illegal entry into the United States. If convicted of the most serious crime, Manrique-Frias faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Manrique-Frias was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-50.

Nicole Lynn Hicks, 36, a transient, on charges of robbery, assault with intent to commit a felony and intimidation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hicks faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Hicks was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-25.

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on May 25 was:

Patrick Lee Tellez, 49, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Tellez faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Tellez was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-65.

Jarod Vahre Millar, 39, of Billings, on charges of possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Millar faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Millar was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-62.

Jeremy Ray Fisher, 36, of Billings, and James Kendall Wiles, 41, a transient, on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Wiles also is charged with prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Fisher and Wiles faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release on the bank fraud crime and a mandatory minimum two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, on the aggravated identity theft crime. Fisher and Wiles were detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-60.

Nicholas Steven Capella, 38, of Laurel, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Capella faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Capella was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-59.

Deana Louann Thomas, 41, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Thomas faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Thomas was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Montana Probation and Parole investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-51.

Appearing on May 24 was:

Benjamin Carl Tedlund, 31, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a stolen firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Tedlund faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Tedlund was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-50.

Gregory Shawn Sanchez, 58, of Lame Deer, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Sanchez faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Sanchez was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-117.

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.