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Spokane man sentenced to 7 years for robberies at Walgreen's in Missoula (Missoulian)
15 January 2010, 6:56 pm

By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Missoulian | Posted: Friday, January 15, 2010 1:20 pm | (3) Comments

A 22-year-old former University of Montana student was sentenced Thursday to seven years in a federal prison for robbing a Walgreens pharmacy three times last year.

Daniel Wilson Nania appeared for the sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Missoula. He must pay $12,474.81 in restitution and spend six years on supervised release.

Nania previously pleaded guilty to robbery involving a controlled substance, and admitted robbing the Walgreens pharmacy on North Reserve Street on Jan. 31, Feb. 21 and March 3. He was arrested March 4 after police served a warrant on his rental home and found numerous prescription drugs, a pellet gun, a canister of pepper spray and other incriminating evidence.

During one of the robberies, Nania forced two employees to lie prostrate on the floor and threatened to shoot them if they moved. Missoula police detectives identified Nania as a primary suspect when, during the second robbery, he handed the pharmacist a handwritten note that read: "Oxycontin and Xanax or I blow your head off now!"

The pharmacist kept the piece of paper, and forensic analysts at the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula lifted a thumbprint from it.

According to a charging document, authorities found 10,000 prescription pills in Nania's basement bedroom when they raided his home.

Nania told police he has abused prescription drugs for seven years, according to records.

After his arrest, Nania enrolled in the Narconon program, a long-term, private-pay residential drug treatment program in Colorado.

Treatment supervisors told the court that he passed all urine analyses and breath tests, and completed the program in mid-November.

from http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/eabe2c3e-0213-11df-828e-001cc4c002e0.html

[ethercat]

A 22-year-old former University of Montana student was sentenced Thursday to seven years in a federal prison for robbing a Walgreens pharmacy three times last year.

Daniel Wilson Nania appeared for the sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Missoula. He must pay $12,474.81 in restitution and spend six years on supervised release.
...
After his arrest, Nania enrolled in the Narconon program, a long-term, private-pay residential drug treatment program in Colorado.

Treatment supervisors told the court that he passed all urine analyses and breath tests, and completed the program in mid-November.

So did this guy get the 6 years of supervised release instead of prison because he went through the narconon program?  After making people lie on the floor and threatening to kill them?  After threatening to blow people's heads off???

[wynot]

I dunno EC; society and laws have long recognized that crimes committed under the influence (of drugs, alcohol, mental or physical illness, or passion) are different from those which aren't. Just as a person who kills his friend while drunk still goes to prison, just not for so long as the person who does so in cold blood. I don't like the particulars of his actions either, but threat is an unavoidable part of armed robbery, and six years probation may be a fair sentence for this guy (not to mention saving the state a substantial sum of money over incarceration). As citizens who know about the fraud of Narconon, we have to hope that Narconon will not turn him into a career criminal or Scientologist. Or worse, a corpse. Some people are irredeemable, but maybe this guy isn't. At least, the local justice system did not seem to think so...

'til next time;
wynot

[Aquaman]

Big surprise, narCONon flack is pushing the anti-pharma agenda in the comments section.

Waiting for registration to clear to reply.

[edit]
Of course, it'd be easier to reply if their comments section wasn't apparently broken...

[ethercat]

Looking into this one a little further, I've found this:
http://missoulian.com/news/local/obituaries/article_3f2d227a-043f-11df-a58f-001cc4c03286.html

Daniel Wilson Nania, 22, of Liberty Lake, Wash., was sentenced to seven years in prison followed by six years of supervised release for robbery involving controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute OxyContin in a public school zone. Nania also was ordered to pay  $12,474.81 in restitution.

and

United States of America v. Daniel Wilson Nania

COMES NOW, the above named Defendant by his counsel of record, John E. Smith, SMITH AND STEPHENS, P.C., to move the Court to vacate the preliminary hearing and detention hearing presently scheduled for Monday, March 23, 2009 at 12:00 p.m. The parties are in agreement with a recommendation to the Court for inpatient treatment at Connections Corrections Program in Butte, Montana.

Here's an article about another felon who got time reduced because he attended the Narconon program: http://forum.reachingforthetippingpoint.net/index.php/topic,5650.0.html

[wynot]

Please note that I totally believe in giving credit for participation in treatment programs. But I am convinced that Narconon is fraudulent, and will help a far smaller percentage of clients than virtually any other facility in the business.

No matter the treatment, some will get better, some will get worse, some will stay the same. Until Narconon can provide meaningful metrics showing that they do at least as well as an average of other centers, the state (any state) should not be providing clients to Narconon.

'til next time;
wynot

[Stutroup]

Please note that I totally believe in giving credit for participation in treatment programs. But I am convinced that Narconon is fraudulent, and will help a far smaller percentage of clients than virtually any other facility in the business.

No matter the treatment, some will get better, some will get worse, some will stay the same. Until Narconon can provide meaningful metrics showing that they do at least as well as an average of other centers, the state (any state) should not be providing clients to Narconon.

'til next time;
wynot

hear, hear!

The purpose of credit for drug rehabilitation is that jail serves both purposes of punishment and rehabilitation of those incarcerated.  If someone just does the time of a drug charge, without seeking treatment, it seems more likely the person is unwilling to change, and their sole motivation is not getting caught so they don't go back to jail.  However, willingness to also attend drug rehab means the person is willing to change and get off drugs.  Therefore, the individual will (should) leave the program much less likely to have another drug charge in the near future.

[ethercat]

Is there a difference if the rehab takes place while in prison or after prison?  If it counts toward time served, or not?

What do y'all think? 

[mefree]

I agree with Stu about credit being given for participation in treatment programs. Drug courts are effective.

I'm not sure how the final choice of programs occurs in this situation. Lists of approved programs with the drug court or probation officer probably exist. I'm fairly certain that families may have some choice in the matter in some jurisdictions.

I hate to think of anyone who is arrested and actually goes through the requirements of drug court being so unfortunate to find treatment at Narconon.

Narconon is Scientology.   

[wynot]

Is there a difference if the rehab takes place while in prison or after prison?  If it counts toward time served, or not?

What do y'all think?

If done in prison, well, they are already serving their sentence, and every day is a day closer to freedom. But before prison, or while on parole, then it certainly should count toward time served, just as time in community service does. The American penal system has sometimes tried to be about more than punishment; after all, most prisoners will be free if they survive, and it seems a good idea if you can give them a little help understanding how to stay outside...

But I digress...

'til next time!
wynot