The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on July 26, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, RODNEY LANE COOPER, a 50-year-old resident of Havre, was sentenced to a term of:
Prison: 48 months
Special Assessment: $100
Supervised Release: 4 years
COOPER was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
COOPER has been known throughout the Rocky Boy's and Havre communities to be a source of methamphetamine for the past several years. Law enforcement began their investigation into COOPER in 2011.
On Feb. 25, 2011, the Havre Police Department arranged for a confidential informant (CI) to purchase methamphetamine from COOPER. The CI gave COOPER $140 for methamphetamine. COOPER provided the CI with a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
On April 12, 2011, law enforcement again arranged for the same CI to purchase methamphetamine from COOPER. The CI gave COOPER $130 and received a substance from COOPER which contained a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
On March 25, 2012, law enforcement spoke with a witness who stated she had been purchasing methamphetamine from COOPER for the past six years. This witness estimated she purchased approximately 3.5 grams of methamphetamine once per month during that time.
On May 8, 2012, agents spoke with another witness who stated she began purchasing methamphetamine from COOPER in 2003. She purchased approximately a total of 100 grams of methamphetamine from COOPER, with the most recent purchase conducted in March 2012.
Lastly, on July 12, 2012, agents interviewed an additional witness who stated she had purchased approximately 25 grams of methamphetamine from COOPER during a three to four month time period. Law enforcement learned through their investigation that COOPER possessed, with the intent to distribute, over 50 grams of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine from 2003 through at least the summer of 2012.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that COOPER will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, COOPER does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Havre Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
