Canadian man sentenced in Montana for possessing false US government IDs

GREAT FALLS, Mont. — A Canadian man was sentenced Monday to time served (176 days) in federal prison following his guilty plea to illegally possessing fraudulent U.S. government identity documents.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter.  This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Patrick Neil Inkster, 31, from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, was also sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon to three years of supervised release.

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

• On Sept. 13, 2010, Inkster presented fraudulent documents as identification to obtain a Montana Identification Card (MIC).
• On the application to obtain an MIC, Inkster listed that he was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and was not a U.S. citizen.  He also indicated that he was a Montana resident and provided an address in Great Falls. He then presented the examiner with a fraudulent U.S. Resident Alien Card in the name of Richard Savage, as well as a fraudulent Social Security Card also in the name of Savage. The DMV examiner recognized the documents were fraudulent, took copies, and told Inkster to return when a supervisor was available.
• When questioned, Inkster admitted that he purchased the fraudulent social security card and fake resident alien card. He planned to use them to get a Montana ID card and then use the Montana ID card to purchase firearms.