Sentences reduced for Project 7 pair

Federal prison sentences were reduced Thursday for two people who cooperated with the government in prosecuting Kalispell-area residents for weapons crimes.

Tracy Brockway and Steven Morey were convicted of federal weapons violations in connection with Project 7 - a paramilitary or survivalist group that trained with machine guns.

Prosecutors offered Brockway, 35, and Morey, 45, reduced sentences if they cooperated with the FBI's and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' investigation of the group.

During January, Brockway - the only woman in the group - was sentenced to 27 months in prison for conspiracy to possess illegal weapons.

She apologized for her involvement with the group and wept when she was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy.

He ordered her to never possess another gun and perform 100 hours of community service, among the other conditions of her sentence.

Thursday, Molloy resentenced Brockway to 16 months in prison after a motion by prosecuting Assistant U.S. Attorney Kris McLean.

Similarly, Morey was sentenced during March to 37 months in prison for conspiracy to possess illegal firearms and seven counts of illegally possessing them.

His sentence was reduced to 22 months.

Brockway and Morey were arrested along with four other people who were members of the group. James Day, David Burgert and John Slater pleaded guilty to firearms charges and were sentenced. Larry Chezem pleaded not guilty and was convicted at trial.

Morey and Brockway testified against Chezem during his trial this summer, describing his knowledge and use of illegal weapons in training with the group in the woods in Northwest Montana.

The group was accused of conspiring to kill local judges and law-enforcement officers, though none admitted that was their intent. They did amass illegal weapons and train with them in anticipation of foreign invasion or natural disasters, they said.

Burgert was said to be the leader of the group, which was exposed after he faked his disappearance in Kalispell. Members of the group intimated that Burgert was murdered by local officials, but he later was found with Brockway. He fled into the woods, prompting an overnight standoff with law-enforcement officers before surrendering and threatening to kill himself.

Chezem has not been sentenced. He recently filed a motion asking Molloy to override the jury's verdict and acquit him. Sentencing is scheduled Sept. 16.