INFORMATIONAL: FEDERAL COURT ARRAIGNMENT

Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings, on April 23, 2007, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn S. Ostby, the following individual was arraigned:

DANIEL MICHAEL SCHAFF, a resident of Billings, appeared on charges of sexual exploitation of children and receipt and possession of child pornography. He is currently detained. If convicted of these charges, SCHAFF faces possible penalties of a mandatory 15 years in prison and could receive up to the maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd is the prosecutor for the United States. The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The defendant pled not guilty to the charge(s).

The charge, an indictment, information or complaint, is merely an accusation and any person named as a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. A pre-trial conference and a trial date will be set and the United States will be required to prove the allegations set forth in the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt.

United States Attorney's Office for the District of Montana

P.O. Box 1478

Billings, MT 59103

CONTACT
Kurt Alme
First Assistant U.S. Attorney
(406) 247-4669