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BILLINGS - A Billings oral surgeon was arraigned today on federal charges of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute the drug.

42-year-old Dr. Jerry Mancuso, is named in a grand jury indictment - alleging Mancuso distributed over 500 grams of cocaine in Billings from January of 2002 - until July of this year. At his initial appearance today before federal magistrate Carolyn Ostby, Mancuso entered a plea of not guilty to the five count indictment. If convicted, Mancuso faces a sentence of between five to forty years in prison, and up a $2-million dollar fine. The indicted alleges Mancuso distributed the illegal drug from both his professional office on Central Avenue and his personal home in the 45-hundred block of Poly Drive.

500 grams of cocaine has a street value estimated between $50-thousand to $100-thousand depending on its purity and time of year.
Mancuso is also a retired Lt. Commander of the U.S. Navy. He is the sole provider and owner of the Rocky Mountain Center for Oral and facial surgery here in Billings.

Also arraigned today on federal cocaine charges was 39-year-old Paula Huebner, a Billings real estate agent, and 37-year-old Darrin Marker, a former assistant golf pro at the Laurel Golf Club.

Huebner is accused of conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine. Marker is charged with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Both entered pleas of not guilty.

Mancuso and Marker remain in custody tonight at the Yellowstone County Detention Center - while Huebner was released under special conditions.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James Seykora is the prosecutor of the case, which resulted from an investigation involving the FBI, the DEA, Billings Police, Yellowstone County Sheriff's office and the Montana division of Criminal Investigation.