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District of Montana
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 22, 2008
MARTHA ANN BRIESKE 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 Great Falls on September 22, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, MARTHA ANN BRIESKE, a 40-year-old resident of Havre, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Sentencing is set for January 12, 2009. She is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
BRIESKE was an associate of Victor King, a significant distributor of methamphetamine in the Havre area. Between the summer of 2005 until his arrest in September 2006, King distributed methamphetamine through a network of other dealers.
On August 4 and 23, 2006, BRIESKE, acting on behalf of King, distributed methamphetamine to an informant during the course of controlled purchases which took place in Great Falls and Shelby. On each occasion, she distributed one ounce of purported methamphetamine to the informant.
The purported methamphetamine was submitted to the Drug Enforcement Administration for chemical analysis by a qualified chemist. That analysis revealed that, collectively, the two ounces of purported methamphetamine which BRIESKE distributed to the informant contained more than 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
King was later arrested. He admitted to the authorities that he provided the methamphetamine which BRIESKE sold to the informant on August 4 and 23, 2006.
BRIESKE was also subsequently interviewed by the authorities. She admitted to law enforcement officers that she had distributed methamphetamine to the informant on King's behalf.
King pled guilty to federal charges and has been sentenced.
BRIESKE faces possible penalties of life in prison, a $4,000,000 fine and 5 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. Thaggard prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.