Shawn Patrick Ellifritt Sentenced in U.S. District Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Helena on September 20, 2012, before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell, SHAWN PATRICK ELLIFRITT, a 41-year-old resident of Spokane, Washington, appeared for sentencing. ELLIFRITT was sentenced to a term of:

■Prison: 235 months

■Special Assessment: $100

■Supervised Release: four years

ELLIFRITT was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to distribution of methamphetamine.

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

From July 2009 until January 2011, ELLIFRITT provided methamphetamine to a person nicknamed “XX,” who then sold the methamphetamine in Helena.

ELLIFRITT knew that “XX” drove from Helena to Spokane for the methamphetamine and the methamphetamine was headed to Helena for further distribution. ELLIFRITT admitted to receiving over six pounds of methamphetamine over this time period.

ELLIFRITT then sold methamphetamine to “XX.” “XX” obtained two to four ounces of methamphetamine from ELLIFRITT twice a month, for three years with a six- to eight-month gap. A source of information accompanied “XX” on five trips to obtain methamphetamine from ELLIFRITT. “XX” obtained approximately four ounces on each of these trips.

On January 20, 2011, a search warrant executed at ELLIFRITT’s residence resulted in the seizure of approximately a quarter-pound methamphetamine mixture, approximately $7,000 cash, digital scales, security cameras, a TV used with the security cameras, and a digital camera.

The DEA Laboratory tested the substance seized on January 20, 2011, and it had a net weight of 105.7 grams with a purity level of 95 percent.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the “truth in sentencing” guidelines mandate that ELLIFRITT will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, ELLIFRITT does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for “good behavior.” However, this reduction will not exceed 15 percent of the overall sentence.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation, and the Missouri River Drug Task Force.