Sara Lynn Wegner Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on November 17, 2011, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, SARA LYNN WEGNER, a 29-year-old resident of Hardin, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Sentencing has been set for February 17, 2012. She is currently released on special conditions.

In an offer of proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

The BIA Drug Enforcement Division has been involved in an ongoing investigation related to the distribution of methamphetamine in and around the Crow Indian Reservation. As part of that investigation, WEGNER was identified as a distributor of methamphetamine.

On June 25, 2010, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of .15 grams of methamphetamine from an individual who has recently been convicted and sentenced for his/her role in a federal methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. That individual met with a BIA confidential source, and sold the source methamphetamine that was provided by WEGNER. Law enforcement confirmed the methamphetamine was provided by WEGNER, because they followed the individual to WEGNER’s house, where the individual obtained the methamphetamine and then provided it to the confidential source. The individual was then interviewed, and identified WEGNER as a purchaser and distributor of methamphetamine in the Hardin area and on the Crow Indian Reservation.

WEGNER was then interviewed on March 17, 2011, and May 13, 2011. She admitted that she is a user and a distributor of methamphetamine. Specifically, she told law enforcement that, in February 2010, she began to purchase methamphetamine from an individual who has pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in federal court, and is awaiting sentencing. WEGNER estimated that she received methamphetamine from this individual at least four times per week from February 2010 to April 2010. She admitted that she purchased ½ gram to 1 gram quantities of methamphetamine each time. WEGNER also admitted that she gave this individual and another individual, who is currently charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in federal court, a ride to Billings twice so that they could purchase methamphetamine. WEGNER did not know how much methamphetamine was purchased, but she described the methamphetamine as “a large amount of methamphetamine in a clear plastic bag.” WEGNER received methamphetamine and gas in exchange for the rides to Billings. She also received a small amount of money.

WEGNER also admitted that she had other sources of methamphetamine, but she would not provide specific information for fear of retaliation. She did admit that she had purchased 1/16 ounce of methamphetamine, twice a week, for a three- to four-week period of time during June and July 2010, from one of the unnamed sources.

WEGNER did identify numerous individuals that she sold methamphetamine to in the Hardin area and on the Crow Indian Reservation. Many of these individuals have been interviewed, and have confirmed the information provided by WEGNER.

WEGNER faces possible penalties of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years’ supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies.

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