The Bobcat Nation

A conspiracy that brought nearly 20 pounds of cocaine to Billings and other Montana communities has ensnared at least eight people, including four former and current players and coaches with the Billings Outlaws football organiza-tion.

Former Outlaws defensive back Shon Flores, 32, of Billings, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court to a conspiracy count. He admitted trafficking at least 9 kilos, or almost 20 pounds, of cocaine that came from a source in Salt Lake City.

Some of Flores' customers included business owners, professionals and salesmen in the Billings community, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Seykora. The conspiracy ran from about late summer last year until July.

Flores, Seykora said, was distributing cocaine in Billings, Missoula and elsewhere in the state through co-conspirators that included "a loosely knit group of former and current football players and coaches for the Billings Outlaws.''

Three others associated with the Outlaws pleaded not guilty to cocaine charges during arraignments Wednesday afternoon.

Chase Allyn Raynock, 32, of Billings, the Outlaws' public relations representative and an assistant coach, turned himself in Wednesday. He is charged with conspiracy and with possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He played football at Skyview High School and the University of Montana.

Robert Earl Reed, 34, of Billings, formerly the Outlaws' offensive coordinator and former San Diego Charger, was arrested. Reed said he resigned from his job two weeks ago. He was indicted on conspiracy and distribution charges.

Former Outlaws player and University of Montana Grizzly All-American Andrew James Petek, 31, of Livingston, also appeared after being arrested. He was indicted on conspiracy and possession charges.

Also pleading not guilty to conspiracy charges were Terra Chesarek, 37, of Billings, who turned herself in, and Edward Alvin White II, 29, of Billings, who was arrested. Both were indicted on conspiracy and possession counts.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn Ostby released all five without bond until trial. They face a possible five years to 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine if convicted. Their cases will be heard by the District Judges Richard Cebull and Jack Shanstrom.

In addition to Flores, two women charged in the case pleaded guilty Wednesday.

Athena Candace Beaumont, 28, of Pryor, and Tara Rauschendorfer, 24, of Billings, who lives with Flores, each admitted conspiracy charges Wednesday for their roles in the trafficking activity.

Flores, Beaumont and Rauschendorfer all reached plea agreements with the government. The prosecutor agreed not to bring other charges in return for their guilty pleas.

Flores, a defensive back, played for the team for six years before leaving in 2006, said his attorney, Vern Woodward. A Hawaii native, Flores played two seasons at West Hills College in California, then was a two-year starter for Mon-tana State University in Bozeman. He was a second-team All-American selection in 1999.

Flores traveled to Salt Lake City on numerous occasions or had others drive there to pick up cocaine for redistribution, Seykora said. Flores got about 20 pounds of cocaine from his supplier, he said. The cocaine was distributed to individuals and groups, including business owners, professionals and salesmen, in Billings, he said. Court records did not identify those persons.

Undercover agents with the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration made numerous purchases of cocaine from Flores and others.

Flores faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years to life in prison and a maximum $4 million fine. Beaumont and Rauschendorfer face a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison and a maximum $2 million fine.

Chief U. S. District Judge Richard Cebull set Flores' sentencing for Feb. 10 and continued his release without bond. The judge set sentencing for Beaumont and Rauschendorfer for Feb. 4 and also released them without bond.

AlphaGriz1 wrote:Its more than a couple hundred grand........try somewhere around $2 mil

Right now in most places in the US it sells for around $80 to $100 a gram.

LTown Cat wrote:Retarded that the article even mentions that some of these guys are former UM and MSU players. They have been gone for 10 years or nearly 10 years. They just coudn't help themselves from throwing that jab in there.

GrizinWashington wrote:

LTown Cat wrote:Retarded that the article even mentions that some of these guys are former UM and MSU players. They have been gone for 10 years or nearly 10 years. They just coudn't help themselves from throwing that jab in there.

I disagree. It's newsworthy and it also helps with partial name recognition. If you're not a huge fan of either team, you may be thinking to yourself as you read the article, "Why is the name Chase Raynock familiar to me?"

Old Skool Cat wrote:Wonder what this will do the Outlaws organization. Didn't they win some kind of indoor football championship this year? These types of venues really struggle in smaller towns like Billings, and it takes doing everything right for them to exist, so this may be a death knell to the organization. I went to a game last season; pretty cheesy football if you ask me. I wouldn't bother ever going to another game. It's maybe one step up from WWE wrestling; all show. Guess these guys were just living up to the team name.

GrizinWashington wrote:

LTown Cat wrote:Retarded that the article even mentions that some of these guys are former UM and MSU players. They have been gone for 10 years or nearly 10 years. They just coudn't help themselves from throwing that jab in there.

I disagree. It's newsworthy and it also helps with partial name recognition. If you're not a huge fan of either team, you may be thinking to yourself as you read the article, "Why is the name Chase Raynock familiar to me?"

Old Skool Cat wrote:Wonder what this will do the Outlaws organization. Didn't they win some kind of indoor football championship this year? These types of venues really struggle in smaller towns like Billings, and it takes doing everything right for them to exist, so this may be a death knell to the organization. I went to a game last season; pretty cheesy football if you ask me. I wouldn't bother ever going to another game. It's maybe one step up from WWE wrestling; all show. Guess these guys were just living up to the team name.

whitetrashgriz wrote:

GrizinWashington wrote:

LTown Cat wrote:Retarded that the article even mentions that some of these guys are former UM and MSU players. They have been gone for 10 years or nearly 10 years. They just coudn't help themselves from throwing that jab in there.

I disagree. It's newsworthy and it also helps with partial name recognition. If you're not a huge fan of either team, you may be thinking to yourself as you read the article, "Why is the name Chase Raynock familiar to me?"

i agree. it's important because in montana sports, all we have are montana and montana state. we cheer these guys on, and they are idols and role models to our kids. so when something eventful happens...good or bad...they relate it to the universities of which the guys played. lulay hasn't been here for years, yet whenever he makes the paper it's "former bobcat". same with hilliard, bierman, and carpenter for the griz. hell, corey widmer hasn't played here for nearly 2 decades, yet when he got in that tragic accident a couple years ago he was mentioned as a former all-american bobcat. in a sense these guys are celebrities in our state, and like any celebrity, you need to be prepared to take the good with the bad. over on egriz some poster got all butt hurt right away and said that this story had no business on the griz athletics board. and while that may be true, that is precisely where all of the topics go regarding good stories about former griz, and no one has a problem. it's hypocracy at it's finest. fact is, in our communities these guys will always be "former cats" or "former griz", so all we can do is hope they make the best of their lives. but to only mention where they came from when they are going something great, and eliminate that fact when they are screwing up would seem to me to be horrible journalism.