GREAT FALLS - The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Brian M. Morris sentenced Jacob Ryan Murie, a 38 year-old resident of Box Elder, to 115 months of prison and three years of supervised release.
Jacob Murie purchased methamphetamine from a woman in Great Falls, Montana. After realizing the drugs were fake, Murie returned to confront the woman. Murie found the woman (soon-to-be victim) in a trailer home in Great Falls and beat her with a pistol. As a result of the trauma from the assault, the victim urinated in her pants. Murie then kidnapped the victim, placed her in a vehicle, and drove to the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. After the kidnapping, Murie admitted on Facebook to another individual that he indeed kidnapped the victim. When interviewed, the victim told law enforcement that she was kidnapped-and she was deathly afraid of Murie. The victim escaped when she was released and directed by Murie to steal items in Havre, Montana, to repay the drug debt.
In a sentencing memo filed with the Court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon stated, “This case involved all three realms of crime: drugs, kidnapping, and an assault.... Murie’s actions were calculated. And worse yet, he bragged about them when speaking with others on Facebook."
This case was investigated by the Russell Country Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Because there is no parole in the federal system, the truth in sentencing guidelines mandate that Murie will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, Murie 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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
