JOEL GONZALEZ and DOUGLAS MICHAEL LIMBERHAND SENTENCED IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT

Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings, on July 18, 2007, before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, JOEL GONZALEZ and DOUGLAS MICHAEL LIMBERHAND appeared for sentencing after having been found guilty during a 3-day trial.

GONZALEZ was sentenced after having been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter to a term of:

• Prison: 51 months

• Special Assessment: $100

• Restitution: $3,499

• Supervised Release: 3 years

LIMBERHAND was sentenced after having been found guilty of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and aiding and abetting to a term of:

• Prison: 46 months

• Special Assessment: $100

• Restitution: $3,499

• Supervised Release: 3 years

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that GONZALEZ and LIMBERHAND will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, GONZALEZ and LIMBERHAND do have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.