USA v. Punch

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF MONTANA
BUTTE DIVISION
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
vs.
SADIE CHERYL SAWYER,
Defendant.
CR 25–10–BU–DLC
ORDER
Before the Court is United States Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto’s
Findings & Recommendation Concerning Plea. (Doc. 289.) Because neither party
objected, they are not entitled to de novo review. 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1); United
States v. Reyna-Tapia, 328 F.3d 1114, 1121 (9th Cir. 2003). Therefore, the Court
reviews the Findings and Recommendation for clear error. McDonnell Douglas
Corp. v. Commodore Bus. Mach., Inc., 656 F.2d 1309, 1313 (9th Cir. 1981). Clear
error exists if the Court is left with a “definite and firm conviction that a mistake
has been committed.” United States v. Syrax, 235 F.3d 422, 427 (9th Cir. 2000).
Defendant Sadie Cheryl Sawyer is charged with one count of conspiracy to
distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C.
§§ 846, 851 (Count I) and one count of possession with intent to distribute
fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 2 (Count II).
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(Doc. 22.) Judge DeSoto recommends that this Court accept Sawyer’s guilty plea
as to Count I after Sawyer appeared before her pursuant to Federal Rule of
Criminal Procedure 11. The Court finds no clear error in Judge DeSoto’s Findings
and Recommendation and adopts them in full, including the recommendation to
defer acceptance of the Plea Agreement until sentencing when the Court will have
reviewed the Plea Agreement and Presentence Investigation Report.
Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that Judge DeSoto’s Findings and
Recommendation (Doc. 289) is ADOPTED in full.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Sawyer’s motion to change plea (Doc.
241) is GRANTED.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Sadie Cheryl Sawyer is adjudged guilty as
charged in Count I of the Superseding Indictment.
DATED this 18th day of November, 2025.
Case 2:25-cr-00010-DLC Document 310 Filed 11/18/25 Page 2 of 2