GEORGE WEEKS PLEADS GUILTY IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT

Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings on May 11, 2006, before U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, GEORGE WEEKS, a 33-year-old resident of Laurel, pled guilty to being a felon-in-possession of a firearm. Sentencing is set for August 10, 2006. He is currently detained.

In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On March 31, 1993, WEEKS was convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and distribution of marijuana in U.S. District Court WEEKS was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and because of the felony conviction, was prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms.

On May 20, 2005, the Yellowstone Bank in Laurel was robbed by a lone white male who presented a note to the teller. The robber walked away with $3,998 in U.S. currency. Witnesses followed the robber and observed him get into a truck which had a distinctive color scheme and a teal license plate. Witnesses were able to get a partial license plate number before the man drove away.

On June 7, 2005, an anonymous male contacted the Laurel Police Department and informed them that the vehicle used in the robbery was currently located at WEEKS' residence in Laurel. Subsequent investigation by the Laurel Police Department found that the pickup was not registered to WEEKS but did belong to WEEKS.

On June 9, 2005, pursuant to a search warrant, the Laurel Police Department searched WEEKS' residence. A Llama, Max 1, .45 ACP caliber pistol; a Stevens 12 gauge shotgun; a Marlin Model 60 .22 caliber rifle; a Norinco SKS 7.62 caliber rifle and approximately 1,000 rounds of ammunition were recovered during the search.

WEEKS faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ed Zink prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Laurel Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.