2 Billings Women Sentenced To Prison for Armed Robbery of Casino

This just in from the United States Justice Department on December 16th:

Two Billings women who admitted to stealing liquor at gunpoint from a Billings casino, firing a warning shot while fleeing, and discarding two loaded firearms on elementary school property were sentenced this week to prison.

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Makyla Fetter, 28, of Harlem was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $745 in restitution. She pleaded guilty in August to robbery affecting commerce, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm in a school zone.

Taliah Ramirez, 22, of Billings, was also sentenced to 7 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $745 in restitution. Ramirez pleaded guilty in August to robbery affecting commerce, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm in a school zone.

“As we continue to combat gun violence in Billings, everyone should take notice that if you use a gun while committing a crime, you will be aggressively prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice.  Not only did one of these defendants discharge a gun during this robbery, but the defendants unconscionably used a playground to ditch the guns while trying to evade law enforcement.  As shown by these sentences to prison, they did not succeed,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

From court documents:

The government alleged in court documents that on March 20, Fetter and Ramirez entered the Magic Diamond Casino in the Billings Heights, and Fetter removed five bottles of Southern Comfort liquor from a shelf. When an employee asked to see Fetter’s identification, Fetter pulled out a loaded pistol, pointed it at the clerk, and said, “here’s your (obscenity) ID.”  As the defendants escaped in a vehicle, Ramirez took out a pistol and fired a round into the air. A high-speed pursuit with law enforcement ensued before officers stopped to avoid risks to civilians. The defendants’ vehicle crashed after going through a fence at Ponderosa Elementary School, and both women discarded their loaded guns on the school grounds. Officers found one of the firearms. The next day, a student found the second firearm and notified a faculty member. Both firearms were determined to have been stolen.

Read the full, unedited, release here.