Sentencing Criminals In Montana…WTF!?!
by lizard
For possessing firearms while growing cannabis in accordance with state law, Chris Williams was sentenced to 5 years in jail.
For raping two 14 year old girls when he was 21 years old, Shawn Lowe was sentenced to 90 days in jail.
For endangering the lives of rescue workers, Sean McCoy faced 10 years in jail and a $50,000 dollar fine because he rigged up to a logging truck and repelled off the Madison bridge (serious eco-terrorist activity).
For waterboarding 4 kids, threatening a school, and a Partner Family Assault, William Province will have to spend a whopping two years…ON PROBATION!!!.
Did I mention this menace was found in possession of body armor, multiple assault rifles, and armor-piercing ammunition?
Words fail.
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March 12, 2013 at 11:47 pm
All our young president had to do was tip his hat to climate change and gay acceptance and the public radio/checkbook liberals fell at his feet. Meanwhile, his fed’s arrest legal growers of medical marijuana. Why I hate KUFM>
March 13, 2013 at 9:28 am
And these unlucky ones in Missoula were charged with actual crimes. Detainees at Guantanamo Bay and our various other hell-holes around the World have been encarcerated and treated inhumanely for 10 plus years and have yet to be charged with a crime.
March 13, 2013 at 10:35 am
Colorado is just a short move away.
March 13, 2013 at 1:10 pm
You do realize you are comparing sentencing for convictions of state law (rape, public endangerment, partner family assault) with sentencing for violation of Federal statutes.
You can thank the anti-gun crowd and Federal mandatory minimum sentencing laws for Williams 5 year jail sentence, not the anti-drug crowd. Judge Christensen only sentenced Williams to the 130 days he had already served (plus 4 years probation) on the charge of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
Christensen went out of his way to be as lenient as possible to Williams and even negotiated a compromise with federal prosecutors that resulted in the Feds dropping three of the gun charges which could have resulted in far more jail time. Judge Christensen even noted at sentencing that the severe sentences originally facing Williams stemmed almost solely from the gun charges, with penalties increasing for each additional weapons charge.
Mandatory sentencing guidelines for using a firearm during a “crime of violence” or “drug trafficking crime” operate as “enhancements” and take effect in connection with the underlying offense even though the defendant does not need to be convicted of the underlying offense.
March 13, 2013 at 1:43 pm
yes, I do realize. regardless, the 4 examples in the post still highlight how screwed up our state/federal priorities are.
March 13, 2013 at 2:37 pm
There are plenty of reasons to find fault with the Federal minimum sentencing guidlines regardless if the crime is drug related or non-drug related.
Again, Williams is currently in jail for Federal firearms violations, not for growing marijuana.
Williams and his partners would likely be out of prison by now if they had simply gotten rid of their firearms before they entered into a drug operation that was a clear violation of Federal laws with harsh manditory minimum sentencing requirements that leaves judges little leeway.
Did these fellows even consult with a competent attorney before setting out on their business/criminal venture and if they did, why didn’t they take his/her advice to heart before putting themselves in even greater legal jeapardy?
March 13, 2013 at 3:04 pm
good question, and good points.
March 13, 2013 at 8:02 pm
I updated the post to reflect the gun charge.