Informational: Federal Court arraignments

BILLINGS - The U.S. Attorney's Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared recently before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on April 16 was:

Leon Boyd Messerly, 63 of Fort Belknap, on charges of assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and domestic assault by habitual offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Messerly faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Messerly was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Rocky Boy's Law Enforcement and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement conducted the investigation. PACER Case No. 24-20.

Colten Small, 21, of Box Elder, on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Small faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Small was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Rocky Boy's Law Enforcement conducted the investigation. PACER Case No. 24-17.

Edmund Taylor Madarassy IV, 27, of Ennis, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Madarassy faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Madarassy was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Helena Police Department and Montana Probation & Parole conducted the investigation. PACER Case No. 24-10.

Appearing on a criminal complaint was:

Levi Eric Newton, 29, of Bainville, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Newton faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $20 million fine and five years of supervised release. Newton was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Valley County Sheriff's Office, Phillips County Sheriff's Office, Fort Peck Police Department and Williston (North Dakota) Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER Case No. 24-34.

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on April 17 was:

Kyle James Jonas, 32, of Park City, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a stolen firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Jonas faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Jonas was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER Case No. 24-41.

Appearing on April 15 was:

Alexander Mikhail Lyles, 37, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lyles faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Lyles was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. PACER Case No. 23-122.

Angelena Emma Lafave, 58, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lafave faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Lafave was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Billings Police Department and U.S. Postal Service conducted the investigation. PACER Case No. 24-34.

The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court's calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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