District of Montana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Members of Great Falls meth trafficking ring sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Four defendants involved in a widespread methamphetamine trafficking operation were sentenced to prison this week, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
The four were linked to an organization run out of Great Falls by Dan Wakeford, Melissa Barone, and Mike Wakeford. In 2024, investigators arrested Barone and the Wakefords for trafficking, and seized over 100 pounds of meth and an illegal firearm in an Arizona storage unit.
In 2025, Dan Wakeford and Barone were sentenced to 20 years in prison, and Mike Wakeford was sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.
Sentenced this week after pleading guilty to trafficking charges were:
- Jonathan James Henderson, seven years and 10 months
- Levi Jerome Dabler, three years and eight months
- Patrick James Wright, two years and six months
- Stephanie Lee Hurd, three years and six months
Earlier this year, Travis Edward Dabler was sentenced to four years and 10 months, and Charles Nichols Williams was sentenced to three years and seven months.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
“This announcement underscores the ongoing threat posed by drug trafficking organizations that continue to move significant quantities of illicit drugs into Montana,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge Cesar Avila. “Through coordinated investigations and interagency partnerships, law enforcement has disrupted these networks and seized substantial amounts of methamphetamine intended for distribution in our communities. We remain committed to protecting Montanans by targeting the organizations responsible and reducing the flow of these dangerous drugs into our state.”
The government alleged in court documents that during the Wakeford investigation in 2024, Henderson was identified as an associate of the trafficking organization. Agents used an informant to purchase meth from him and then used a similar setup on Levi Dabler. Agents also sent an informant to buy meth from Hurd. Henderson and Dabler pleaded guilty in March 2026 to meth trafficking charges. Hurd pleaded guilty to a meth distribution charge in February 2026.
Around the same time law enforcement learned that Wright had purchased meth and had connected at least one person with a supplier. He was pulled over in March 2025 and officers found meth and drug paraphernalia in his car. He pleaded guilty in February 2026 to possession with intent to distribute.
“The defendants brought methamphetamine into our tribal communities, putting lives at risk, fueling violence, and causing lasting harm,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Gerken of the FBI Billings Field Office. “The sentencings are about accountability, but our work does not stop here. The FBI will continue working side-by-side with our tribal, federal, state and local partners to disrupt drug trafficking networks and protect the communities we serve.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Starnes and Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Russell Country Drug Task Force.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Montana comprises agents and officers from the DEA, FBI, ATF, HSI, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, the Great Falls Police Department, and the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.
Red Lodge man sentenced to six years in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Red Lodge man who had Child Sex Abuse Material (CSAM) on his phone was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Jeremy Dean Ruby, 50, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to possessing child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. A hearing was scheduled for Nov. 5, 2026, to determine how much Ruby should be required to pay his victims in restitution.
The government alleged in court documents that Ruby kept videos on his phone that contained Child Sex Abuse Material. From July 2024 to March 2025 law enforcement suspected Ruby of trafficking illegal drugs and obtained a warrant to search his home where they collected his cell phone. On the phone, investigators found hundreds of videos of CSAM involving children between the ages of 2 and 12.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI and the Red Lodge Police Department conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Missoula man sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Missoula man who admitted distributing Child Sex Abuse Material (CSAM) online was sentenced today to 16 years and eight months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Johnathan Key Tucker, 39, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to distributing and receiving child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Tucker collected over 27,000 images of Child Sex Abuse Material and distributed at least three CSAM videos.
Tucker was on probation after having been convicted in 2014 of child sex abuse and surreptitiously watching someone without their knowledge. His parole officer, while meeting with Tucker on Sept. 11, 2023, became suspicious that Tucker was using an unauthorized phone.
The officer went to Tucker’s home and searched his room where he found the phone. A forensic analysis found 27,000 images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct and screenshots that showed he had been using an online app to find the material. Analysis also showed Tucker had shared at least three videos with another user through the app.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The Missoula Police Department conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Michigan man sentenced to 18 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl on Rocky BoyRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Michigan man who trafficked fentanyl onto the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Deion Vincent Brown, 32, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Brown was part of group based out of Detroit that was bringing fentanyl into Montana and selling it around the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.
Following a tip, law enforcement pulled Brown over near the Reservation in October 2020 and found $15,756 in cash and 81 fentanyl pills. They learned Brown and others from his group had been staying at a home on the reservation. Investigators learned the group had used the house as a base of operations to distribute fentanyl onto the reservation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
Lame Deer man sentenced to more than 3 years in prison for involuntary manslaughterRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Lame Deer man who ran over an acquaintance after a night of drinking was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Kristopher Aiden Blackwolf, 36, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to involuntary manslaughter.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Blackwolf spent a night drinking with friends and, while still intoxicated, ran over and killed one of his companions.
Law enforcement first responded after hearing reports the next morning of a man lying unresponsive in a driveway. Blackwolf had called the victim’s nephew earlier that morning, saying he’d just come from the victim’s house where he saw him lying on the ground outside. Blackwolf told the nephew he didn’t know if the victim was alive. A medical examiner later ruled that the man had died from multiple blunt force traumas.
Officers contacted Blackwolf later that day after his mother called authorities. They found Blackwolf sitting in the driver’s seat of his minivan, still intoxicated, and crying. After a medical evaluation, officers interviewed Blackwolf and learned that he had gone out the night before with the victim and another friend, all sharing a gallon of vodka they’d purchased in Colstrip. Blackwolf told officers he had returned home around 6:30 a.m. and, after eating, he fell asleep. At some point later in the morning, Blackwolf realized that he had reversed his van into the victim and run him over.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The FBI and the BIA conducted the investigation.
Kalispell man pleads guilty to child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Kalispell man who coerced an 11-year-old girl into sending him Child Sex Abuse Materials (CSAM) over Snapchat admitted to charges Wednesday, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Cameron Lee Powell, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography. Powell faces up to 30 years in prison on the first count, a $250,000 fine, and over $70,000 in special assessments. On the second count he faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and over $50,000 in special assessments.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided and sentencing was set for Jan. 13, 2027. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Powell remained in custody pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents Powell used Snapchat to solicit explicit CSAM photos from an 11-year-old girl in May 2022. Once she sent the photos, Powell then threatened to share the images publicly if she didn’t provide more. The girl told her parents, who then called police.
Law enforcement searched the girl’s phone and found a history of her chat with Powell, who was pretending to be a sixth-grade girl. Using that information, law enforcement obtained a warrant and searched Powell’s Kalispell residence in August 2022, where they found electronics with visual depictions of CSAM.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney is prosecuting the case. Homeland Security Investigations and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office helped conduct the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Washington man sentenced to 19 years for trafficking fentanyl into Montana while armedRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Washington man who trafficked fentanyl from Seattle to Missoula while carrying a loaded handgun was sentenced today to 19 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Tyreece Kingsley Dunbar, 42, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that several sources had informed law enforcement that Dunbar was moving fentanyl from Seattle to Missoula by bus in early 2025. Agents arrived at the Greyhound bus station there on March 15, 2025, and found Dunbar wearing a face covering and body armor. He was also carrying a loaded Ruger .40 caliber pistol with a round in the chamber and a half pound of fentanyl.
“This defendant flooded our streets with deadly synthetic drugs, putting lives at risk for profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Gerken of the FBI Billings Field Office. “The sentence holds him accountable and furthers our commitment to protecting our communities from the devastating effects of illegal drug trafficking.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Great Falls man sentenced to over 3 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who shot up his house near Lincoln Elementary School was found to be in unlawful possession of a firearm and was sentenced Monday to three years and six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Timothy Paul Whittles, 59, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Whittles, who had six prior felony convictions prohibiting him from owning a firearm, shot up his home with a handgun while high on meth.
Whittles called 911 around 8 a.m. on March 22, 2025, saying he heard intruders and gunshots in his home. While on the call, the dispatcher heard Whittles load a gun and fire it. When officers arrived at Whittles’s residence, they heard gunshots from inside. The front door was riddled with multiple bullet holes and its glass was shattered.
The home sits near Lincoln Elementary School, and as officers investigated, they found that the bullets were shot from the inside toward the school. Officers directed Whittles to come out of his house and detained him. Surveillance footage from Lincoln Elementary showed Whittles getting home at 5 a.m., repeatedly entering and leaving his house, and walking around his car. The footage showed no other people at the house, and when officers searched inside the home, they found no sign of intruders or a break-in. On the basement staircase, officers found a .45 caliber handgun, an empty magazine, and dozens of spent shell casings throughout the house.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Great Falls Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.
Chester man sentenced to 6 years in prison for receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Chester man who tried to cross the border into Montana with Child Sex Abuse Material on his phone was sentenced today to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Brandon Wayne Roos, 34, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to receiving child pornography.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Roos was crossing from Canada into Montana at the Sweetgrass Port of Entry on Sept. 24, 2023, when Border Patrol agents discovered illicit sexual material involving children on Roos’s phone.
Border Patrol had received a tip that Roos possibly had illicit material and so when he arrived at the Port of Entry agents searched his phone, where they found 151 images and 49 videos of Child Sex Abuse Material. Roos admitted to law enforcement that he had purchased and downloaded the material, which led to a search warrant for Roos’s home and computer. The search turned up 50 additional images and eight videos.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOs, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
California man sentenced to more than 3 years for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A California man who was found with 57 pounds of methamphetamine in his car, among other illicit drugs, was sentenced Thursday to three years and two months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Heriberto Eddie Garcia, 46, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Garcia worked for a drug trafficking organization transporting meth, cocaine, fentanyl, and cash to various western states, including Montana.
In late 2023, law enforcement learned from a source that Garcia was flying from Santa Ana, California, to Des Moines, Iowa, and then driving to Billings with a shipment of illicit drugs. At the direction of the DEA, Montana Highway Patrol troopers pulled Garcia over on Jan. 22, 2024, and with a warrant searched his car. They found 57 pounds of meth and a kilogram of cocaine. In an interview with law enforcement, Garcia said he had been in Des Moines and then South Dakota picking up money. He had travelled to Billings previously to pick up $70,000 for methamphetamine and fentanyl.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA conducted the investigation.
Billings man sentenced to prison for posting bonds in exchange for sexRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings bail bondsman who posted bond for an inmate in return for sexual favors was sentenced Wednesday to one year in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Louis Christopher Ikeda, 46, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of racketeering.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Ikeda was using his position as a bail bondsman to leverage sexual favors from at least one female inmate at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility in November and December 2024.
The only way to communicate with county inmates is through the jail’s communication system, which includes text messaging. On. Nov. 18, 2024, Ikeda began texting an inmate who had contracted the services of his bail bond company. Ikeda’s messaging quickly turned sexual, especially when the inmate brought up the topic of her $10,000 bail. The two discussed how much of a bond the inmate would need to pay Ikeda to be released and they finally settled on $300. The conversation then turned sexual in anticipation of her release.
Ikeda posted the inmate’s bail on Dec. 2, 2024, and the two left the county jail together, driving to a secluded area where they had sex. The inmate later described “feeling pressured” into having sex with Ikeda. He always responded to her comments about being released from jail by expressing his desire to have sex with her. She also told investigators she believed her sexual encounter with Ikeda was in exchange for the reduced bond amount.
Following the encounter with the first inmate, Ikeda contacted to two other inmates. He discussed bail with both and those conversations quickly turned sexual. Ultimately, he posted bond for both inmates for less than the required minimum premium amount. Both women later said they believed a sexual relationship with Ikeda was expected in exchange for his posting their bond. However, both were able to evade him after being released from the county jail.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Godfrey prosecuted the case. The Department of Homeland Security, the Office of the Montana State Auditor, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montana Department of Corrections conducted the investigation.
Billings man sentenced to over 3 years in prison for possessing stolen gunRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who was found with a stolen gun was sentenced Wednesday to three years and 10 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Dalton Cole Hilliard, 28, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a stolen firearm.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Hilliard was found with a stolen gun after he and a partner were spotted in a Heights neighborhood where police were investigating a string of thefts on Dec. 7, 2025. Hilliard was on probation with the Montana Department of Corrections for a previous felony conviction and was wearing a GPS monitor. When investigators tracked the location history of the monitor it showed that Hilliard had been at multiple locations in the Heights and on the same street as one of the thefts.
Billings police visited Hilliard, speaking to him outside his home. He acknowledged to officers that he and his associate had gone through the Heights and stolen numerous items, including a handgun which Hilliard said was in his truck. Officers searched the truck with a warrant and found the gun, along with numerous driver’s licenses, social security cards, vehicle keys, and other stolen items. Officers also learned the truck had been stolen. With a warrant, law enforcement searched Hilliard’s home, where they found a loaded 10 mm magazine for the stolen firearm.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department and ATF conducted the investigation.
Billings man sentenced to 20 months in prison for assaulting, injuring girlfriendRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who struck his girlfriend multiple times during an argument was sentenced Wednesday to 20 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Isaiah Shawn-Sam Glenn, 30, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a dating or intimate partner.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Glenn assaulted his girlfriend while the two were arguing in his vehicle in Lodge Grass on Sept. 21, 2025. Big Horn County Sheriff’s deputies arrived and spoke with the victim, who said Glenn struck her multiple times. She was treated by EMTs and taken to an area hospital, where she was diagnosed with multiple injuries, including bilateral bruising on her neck and scratches on her face.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
Joint Homeland Security Task Force operation brings down massive multistate drug smuggling ring as last defendant is sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A multijurisdictional operation launched in 2023 successfully shut down a drug smuggling ring that operated from the Netherlands and Mexico, and brought drugs into Arizona, Texas, Washington, and Montana.
In all, the operation saw the arrests and successful prosecution of 13 people and involved efforts from Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Running the drug ring was Gerad Punch, 41, a U.S. citizen living in the Netherlands. Punch worked with Bernard Cowley Glass, Jr., 39, from Phoenix, who helped funnel fentanyl from Mexico into Montana, Washington, and Texas.
Punch was sentenced in February 2026 to 20 years in prison; Glass was sentenced last month to 15 years in prison.
The final of the 13 defendants, Adam Jospeh Sarvis, 47, of Butte, was sentenced today to two years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Smith said. Sarvis pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
Also sentenced to prison this year as part of the operation were:
- Carrie Jean Bishop, nine years
- Brooke Rose Louise Cadonia, nine years
- Freddie Lee Carter, 11 years and four months
- Spring Marie Davis, two years and eight months
- D’Andre Dontae Glass, four years
- Diana Michelle Karnes, eight years
- Dwayne Nyron Punch, 11 years and four months
- Sadie Cheryl Sawyer, four years
- Zane Nicholas Schafer, two years and eight months
- Shawn Michael Scholler, three years and 10 months
The government alleged in court documents that Punch began his push into Montana after he was introduced by one of his dealers in Washington to Brooke Cardonia. Cardonia was from Rocker and had dealer connections in western Montana through defendant Sadie Sawyer.
Punch began building his drug trafficking operation after a stint in prison in 2018. He had met an inmate there who connected Punch with a Phoenix-based supplier. That supplier obtained his drugs from Mexico, then provided the fentanyl to Punch and his brother Dwayne Nyron Punch, who also lived in Phoenix.
Investigators first picked up on Punch’s operation in October 2023 when they learned from a source that someone named “Jeremy Holbrook” was bringing large amounts of fentanyl pills into Butte. Through the course of the investigation, agents learned that Holbrook was Punch’s alias in Montana and that he had been shipping illegal drugs into the state since at least earlier that year.
The source in Butte told investigators that Punch’s shipments were often mailed to Montana and that she was expecting to receive a package in Helena. Investigators contacted the United States Postal Inspection Service, which began to investigate packages shipped from Punch to Montana. At the same time in Arizona, postal inspectors were looking into packages being mailed to Texas by Bernard Glass. Investigators quickly learned that Glass and Punch were partners in the same drug trafficking organization.
As the operation grew in Montana, Punch and Glass travelled regularly to the state to meet with connections, potential buyers, and dealers. Law enforcement began to track Punch’s movements between Phoenix and Montana and to follow those with whom he met. Investigators also dug into postal and financial records, tracking the number of packages Punch and his lieutenants were sending, and identifying and following the payment systems they used to fund and run the operation.
“IRS Criminal Investigation plays a critical role in disrupting and stopping the flow of money that is the lifeblood of criminal activity, including narcotics trafficking,” said Todd Wacaser, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Denver Field Office. “Working alongside our law enforcement partners, we hold drug traffickers accountable, protect the integrity of the U.S. financial system, and help keep our communities safe from the violence, addiction, and harm fueled by the illegal drug trade.”
By fall of 2024, investigators had identified more than a dozen co-conspirators, mapped out the organization’s financial operation, and tracked the packages of illicit drugs Punch and others had mailed into Montana. Punch, who had returned to the Netherlands, was charged and arrested in March 2025 when he returned to the United States.
“Operation Windmill is a strong example of how the Homeland Security Task Force model is designed to work: bringing federal, state, and local partners together across jurisdictions to identify, investigate, and dismantle criminal networks that threaten our communities,” said Resident Agent in Charge Joseph E. Montbriand with Homeland Security Investigations. “This case reflects the value of coordinated enforcement and intelligence-driven investigations, and we are proud of the work of our Special Agents, and all of our law enforcement partners who helped bring these defendants to justice.”
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. “DOJ and its law enforcement partners are committed to the destruction of these networks and poisons they seek to bring to Montana,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Smith. “I want to commend the exemplary work of the HSTF, including agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation. I also applaud the exceptional work of the prosecution team led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Lowney and Zeno Baucus for the District of Montana. Our streets and our children are safer because of the HSTF’s efforts.”
Yellowstone County trio sentenced to prison for trafficking fentanylRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A trio of Yellowstone County residents who were dealing fentanyl were sentenced to prison this week, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Heather Ostler, 39, who pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, was sentenced Thursday to five months prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release.
Louis Lester Parker, 36, who pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, was sentenced Thursday to two years and eight months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.
Steven Craig Lance, 41, who pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, was sentenced Friday to a year and three months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that an investigation into fentanyl distribution in Montana found that Ostler, Parker, and Lance were dealing in the Billings area. Ostler and Parker were stopped by law enforcement on June 3, 2025, where investigators found 178 fentanyl pills in Ostler’s purse. This led to a search warrant for the pair’s residence where investigators found 540 more fentanyl pills in their bedroom.
Lance sold 88 fentanyl pills to a confidential informant on May 15, 2025. Law enforcement watched Lance meet with Ostler prior to making the sale to the informant. After the buy, the informant told investigators that Lance had purchased the pills from Ostler and Parker.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.
Hardin man sentenced to over 4 years in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Hardin man who had downloaded Child Sexual Abuse Material was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. He was also ordered to pay a total of $10,100 in special assessments.
Randall Allen Flatlip, 36, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of possessing child pornography.
U.S. District Judge William M. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that a cyber tip in July 2022 alerted authorities that Flatlip, who was living in Hardin, had downloaded a video depicting a child under 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Investigators received a search warrant for Flatlip’s email where they learned multiple images and videos had been deleted prior to the search. Investigators interviewed a former roommate who said she once saw Flatlip watching Child Sexual Abuse Material on a mobile tablet.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
U.S. Attorney’s Office recovers nearly $850,000 for Montana dairy, other fraud victimsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office recently recovered $848,858 for victims of a fraud scheme that took place at a Bozeman dairy from 2007-2008, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said today.
In 2011, following an investigation by the IRS and FBI, Jeffrey Nicholas McCown, a manager with a Bozeman-based dairy cooperative, was convicted of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud along with three other employees, Michael Ernest Monforton, the dairy’s CEO; Jeanette Sabrina McCown, its bookkeeper; and Scott Michael McCown, the shop manager. Jeffrey McCown was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Jeffery McCown and Monforton were ordered by the court to pay $1.16 million in restitution.
The recovery of the nearly $850,000 happened after the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Financial Litigation Unit learned that Jeffery McCown was entitled to receive a substantial payout from the sale of a business and real property. The Unit garnished those funds and recovered $848,858.72 to pay McCown’s remaining restitution obligation in full.
“Today's recovery marks a significant step toward restoring losses suffered by the victims of this fraud. This case demonstrates that even many years after a financial crime is committed, the pursuit of justice and restitution continues,” said Todd Wacaser, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI Denver Field Office. “Those who misuse organizational funds should know that IRS Criminal Investigation remains committed to following the money, identifying assets, and working with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and recover funds whenever possible.”
The fraud began in October 2007. At the time, Country Classic Dairy was a producer-owned co-op based in Bozeman and Jeffrey McCown, along with the other three, began using co-op funds for personal purchases and reimbursements (Country Classic merged with Seattle-based Darigold in 2010). McCown fraudulently used his co-op credit card to purchase and maintain personal assets like vehicles, trailers, boats, firearms, and an RV. He also took cash advances from co-op cards and accounts and recorded his purchases and transactions as business expenses to conceal the fraud.
“Fraud does more than cause financial loss, it erodes trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Gerken of the FBI Billings Field Office. “When individuals exploit positions of trust for personal gain, they harm not only the organization, but also the employees, customers, and communities that depend on it. The FBI remains committed to investigating these crimes and holding those responsible accountable.”
Laurel man pleads guilty to gun charges after shooting himself in the legRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Laurel man who was found with an illicit firearm while under felony indictment admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Joel Antonio Crusselle II, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of having a firearm while under indictment. Crusselle faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen S. Lane presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Dec. 9, 2026. Crusselle remained in custody pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Crusselle accidently shot himself in the leg while under felony indictment for assault with a weapon and strangulation with Yellowstone County District Court. At Crusselle’s court appearance on Aug. 5, 2025, he was released on conditions that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
Despite the prohibition, on Feb. 16, 2026, Crusselle was target shooting with a .22 caliber revolver in Laurel. Law enforcement received a report of a person being shot; Crusselle, in trying to place the revolver back into its holster, shot himself in the calf.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus is prosecuting the case. The ATF and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
Missoula man pleads guilty to drug, gun charges following high-speed chaseRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Missoula man who trafficked significant amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Wynton Ryan Magee, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Magee faces a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug offense and a consecutive mandatory minimum of five years up to life in prison for the firearm.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 30, 2026. Magee was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Magee was traveling to Washington to buy fentanyl that he planned to sell in the Missoula area, and that he was doing it while armed.
Law enforcement had learned from multiple sources that Magee was dealing methamphetamine and fentanyl, and that at one point he traded drugs for a handgun. In January 2026, agents learned Magee had rented a motel room for Patrick Allen, who was also dealing fentanyl in the Missoula area. Allen pleaded guilty to drugs and firearm charges earlier this year and was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison.
In February 2026, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Magee’s hotel room and found scales, plastic baggies, and other items associated with drug distribution. Agents also found a handgun. Magee admitted to traveling to Washington to buy fentanyl powder that he distributed in the Missoula area.
Two months later, Magee was returning to Montana from a drug run to Washington when law enforcement on I-90 attempted to pull him over. Rather than stop, Magee led officers on a high-speed chase through a Missoula neighborhood that ended when he crashed his car. In the vehicle, law enforcement found illicit drugs, needles, and other items indicative of drug trafficking. One of the occupants in the car confirmed Magee had purchased 2 ounces of fentanyl in Washington.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Man operating trafficking ring from California prison pleads guilty to drug chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – An inmate who was running a drug ring from inside a California state prison admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Dion Andre Davis II, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Davis faces 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen S. Lane presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Dec. 2, 2026. Davis remained incarcerated pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Davis was head of a large-scale, multistate narcotics trafficking organization, which he operated from his prison cell using contraband mobile phones.
Law enforcement learned in June 2023 that Christina Hill and Nathan Wilnau were selling illicit drugs in Billings. Hill was a local leader in the operation and was sending money to a source in California, who then sent packages of fentanyl and methamphetamine to Billings and to Cody, Wyoming.
Hill was sentenced last month to 15 years in prison on drug possession and money laundering charges. Wilnau was sentenced in June to 11 years in prison on meth possession charges.
During the investigation, law enforcement discovered images on Hill’s phone of FedEx receipts for packages mailed from California and pictures of large sums of cash corresponding to the dates on the FedEx receipts. Also found on Hill’s phone were images of text conversations with Davis where she ordered $72,500 worth of fentanyl and $96,000 worth of methamphetamine.
A search warrant on Davis’s phones found messages to a handful of associates, including Hill, directing the distribution of drugs, which would be shipped or delivered to Wyoming and Montana. Davis demanded payments, discussed shipments, instructed his associates on how to evade law enforcement, and complained about drug debts. Davis’s contraband phones were confiscated in April 2024 and he was subsequently charged.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The DEA and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
U.S. Attorney’s Office recovers more than $325,000 for fraud victimsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office recently recovered more than $325,000 for victims of a California man who defrauded 14 victims of more than a half-million dollars, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
The recovery dates back to a case from 2012. Thomas Brown Hammond was convicted that year of theft from an employee benefit plan in the Eastern District of California. The court sentenced him to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered Hammond to pay $536,521 to the 14 victims. Following his release from Bureau of Prisons custody, Hammond moved to Montana and served his period of supervised release under the custody of U.S. Probation & Pretrial Services with the District of Montana.
Recently, Hammond received a substantial distribution from an inheritance. The U.S. Attorney’s Office garnished nonexempt funds from the financial institution and will distribute $332,703.97 to Hammond’s victims.
Even though Hammond was convicted more than a decade ago, federal law empowers the U.S. Attorney’s Office to collect restitution judgments for 20 years after a defendant’s release from prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office actively enforces restitution collection for the benefit of victims for the entire collection period, which can lead to substantial recovery for victims years or even decades after conviction.
Hammond was a registered securities representative and investment advisor. At Hammond’s criminal trial, the government presented evidence that Hammond induced his victims to invest in his fraudulent private portfolio. Instead of actually investing, Hammond deposited the funds into a standard business account and withdrew the money for personal expenses. At the sentencing, Judge John A. Mendez called Hammond’s actions “inexcusable.”
Billings man sentenced to 3 years in prison for attempted drug trafficking after wife tips off authoritiesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who was receiving drug shipments in the mail was sentenced Friday afternoon to three years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Jonathan Lloyd Erwin, 38, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Erwin received at least one package of methamphetamine in the mail, which he had intended to sell. The package came to light after Erwin’s wife contacted the U.S. Postal Service in February 2025 and told them her husband was receiving packages of drugs in the mail.
USPS officials began watching for packages addressed to Erwin and on March 11, 2025, they intercepted a suspicious parcel intended for Erwin that had been sent from a fake address. Agents obtained a warrant and searched the package, where they found 7.5 ounces of meth. Agents replaced the meth with rock salt and delivered the package to Erwin, who received it and took it into his garage. Authorities returned with a warrant and found the package hidden in Erwin’s garage rafters. His wife, who was present for the search, again reiterated to agents that her husband was receiving drugs in the mail. A search of Erwin’s phone showed messages where he discussed buying meth off the dark web, tracking packages that were shipped to him, and selling what he purchased.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Godfrey prosecuted the case. The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.
Mexican citizen sentenced for illegally reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Mexican woman living in Roundup, who was in the country illegally, was sentenced Thursday to time served, followed by her removal from the United States, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Gabriela Lopez-Castro, 35, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Lopez-Castro was in the country illegally after having been deported in 2019 and again in 2024. She was arrested in Musselshell County on Feb. 4, 2026, on allegations of partner or family member assault. Musselshell County sheriff’s deputies called the Malta Border Patrol Station for help when they discovered Lopez-Castro had no U.S. identification. The next day, Lopez-Castro acknowledged to Border Patrol agents she had returned to the U.S. illegally.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Forsyth man sentenced to 27 years for producing, collecting child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Forsyth man who was messaging boys over social media and requesting nude images was sentenced Wednesday afternoon to 27 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Schifferns was also ordered to pay a total of $40,200 in special assessments and $15,000 in restitution.
Zachary Dean Schifferns, 38, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Schifferns sought Child Sex Abuse Material from a 14-year-old boy and that Schifferns maintained a cache of illicit images of children.
Law enforcement interviewed the 14-year-old on Dec. 25, 2024, after the boy spoke up about Schifferns reaching out to him on social media and requesting nude images. In the interaction, Schifferns had sent the boy a picture of his own genitalia and told him he was interested in 12- to 15-year-old boys. In response, the 14-year-old sent Schifferns a fake image he photoshopped from material online.
The next day, law enforcement obtained a warrant, and over the next few weeks searched Schifferns’s residence, electronic media, and social media. They discovered dozens of sexually explicit images and videos of children, including some that involved children under 12. They also discovered similar messages he had sent to other boys.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI, Rosebud County Sheriff’s Office, and Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
El Salvadorian man sentenced for illegal reentry into the countryRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – An El Salvadorian citizen who was in the country illegally after having been removed in 2019 was sentenced Wednesday to time served of 208 days, which will be followed by his removal from the United States, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Gabriel Dejesus Portillo-Abrego, 37, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Portillo-Abrego had illegally returned to the U.S. after having first been deported in 2019. Local law enforcement in Belgrade stopped the vehicle Portillo-Abrego was driving for speeding and driving under the influence on March 1, 2025. After he was detained, U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement learned of his arrest and determined Portillo-Abrego had been removed from the country in 2019 and lacked the proper authorization to return.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Washington man sentenced to 10 years for possessing firearm while intending to distribute fentanyl in MissoulaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Spokane, Washington, man who was trafficking fentanyl into Montana while armed with handgun was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Patrick William Allen, 55, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Allen was a “high-level” supplier of fentanyl in the Missoula area and that he regularly transported illicit drugs into the state from Washington.
Investigators learned from an informant on Jan. 23, 2026, that Allen was regularly bringing drugs into the Missoula area and that a week prior the informant had purchased fentanyl from Allen. The following day, investigators learned from a second source that Allen was in Missoula and had checked into the Broadway Inn Hotel. Agents obtained a warrant, went to the room in which Allen was staying, and discovered him there with a woman.
Allen told investigators he had a loaded gun in his suitcase, which was sitting open on his bed. More than one-half pound of fentanyl, 39 grams of meth and five grams of crack cocaine, along with $8,200 in cash also was in the room. Allen said it all belonged to him and that the woman was not involved.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Roundup man sentenced to over 11 years in prison for trafficking meth with firearmsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Roundup man who was bringing large amounts of meth from Washington into Montana was sentenced today to 11 years and eight months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
William Thomas Duncan, 45, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Duncan and a partner regularly traveled to Washington to pick up methamphetamine, bringing it back to Montana to sell.
Law enforcement first learned of the trafficking activity in October 2025 while agents were investigating Duncan’s partner, Jeffrey Frederic Nelson. Nelson pleaded guilty in March 2026 to distribution charges and will be sentenced in October. An undercover agent bought multiple pounds of methamphetamine from Nelson in January 2026 and, following a search, discovered Duncan’s number on Nelson’s phone.
Agents surveilled the two numbers and discovered the pair making regular trips to Washington to resupply their stash of methamphetamine. The undercover agent again arranged to buy methamphetamine from the two men. And then on Jan. 22, 2026, they served a search warrant on Duncan’s residence in Roundup, where they discovered 2 pounds of methamphetamine, several phones and over 30 guns. In an interview with law enforcement, Duncan admitted to trafficking the methamphetamine and said the firearms were for his protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Godfrey prosecuted the case. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and the ATF conducted the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Phoenix man sentenced to 14 years in prison for trafficking significant amounts of drugs to MontanaRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Phoenix man who was shipping meth and fentanyl to a drug ring in Billings was sentenced today to 14 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Brian Uriel Lopez-Orozco, 27, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Lopez-Orozco was a major supplier of methamphetamine and fentanyl to the Billings area, running a drug trafficking ring there for two years.
Law enforcement discovered Lopez-Orozco was the head of the drug ring while investigating local drug trafficker Cynthia Pruett and her two lieutenants, Aaron Meeks and Shaynee Gibbs. Laurel police pulled over Meeks and Gibbs on Nov. 9, 2022, where they found 360 grams of fentanyl and over $12,000 cash in their car. Gibbs told officers that she and Meeks were awaiting a package in the mail with methamphetamine and fentanyl, a package law enforcement had already intercepted. In it, investigators discovered nearly 4 pounds of meth and 17 capsules of fentanyl.
Meeks told investigators that he regularly picked up packages of meth and fentanyl shipped from Arizona for Pruett, whom he described as “one of the biggest drug dealers in Billings.” Gibbs said Pruett kept her drugs in a storage unit on Billings’ West End. On Dec. 1, 2022, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the storage unit and Pruett’s home in Acton, where agents found meth, fentanyl, and over $4,200 in cash. A month later, Pruett was pulled over in Broadview where agents found nearly a half-pound of fentanyl and $2,245 in cash.
Pruett, Meeks, and Gibbs eventually pleaded guilty to various drug charges. Meeks had lived in Arizona, where he bought drugs from Lopez-Orozco and eventually became his personal mechanic. When Meeks moved to Billings in 2021, Lopez-Orozco reached out and asked him if he knew of anyone there who would push drugs for him. Meeks gave him Pruett’s name. Lopez-Orozco visited Billings a few times and after Pruett demonstrated she could move his drugs, Lopez-Orozco began shipping her large quantities of meth and fentanyl.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the DEA conducted the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Mexican citizen sentenced for illegally reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Mexican national who was in the country illegally after having been removed in 2019 was sentenced today to 211 days of custody; his next step is deportation, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Fabian Lopez-Barragan, 25, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Lopez-Barragan had illegally returned to the U.S. in 2020 after having first been deported in 2019. Lopez-Barragan was pulled over in Sidney on Dec. 30, 2025, for driving a car with plates that didn’t match the vehicle. After questioning the validity of Lopez-Barragan’s driver’s license, law enforcement contacted Havre Border Patrol, whose agents determined Lopez-Barragan was in the country illegally.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Godfrey prosecuted the case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Chinese national sentenced to over 2 years in prison for scamming 73-year-old Joliet manRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Chinese man living in California, who defrauded a Joliet man out of nearly $200,000, was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison and to pay restitution of $181,000, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Wei Jia Luo, 42, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of wire fraud. Following his prison term he will be deported back to China.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Luo ran an internet scam and stole $182,000 from a 73-year-old Joliet resident.
The investigation started when the Joliet man called the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office on May 8, 2024, to report that he had been scammed. The man was on his computer in March when a pop-up window told him to contact Microsoft. Through a series of messages, the man was led to believe that he was “out of compliance” with the Federal Trade Commission and that to get back into compliance he would need to provide large sums of money to a bank courier he would meet at the Edgar Post Office.
The man pulled out $76,000 from various bank accounts and headed to Edgar on April 6, 2024. Unable to find the post office, the man was instructed to meet the bank courier, named “Ethan,” at the Edgar Bar. The man arrived at the bar and met Ethan, who he described as an Asian man in his 30s wearing sunglasses and a COVID mask. He handed over the $76,000 and Ethan left.
A few days after the Edgar Bar meeting, the scammers contacted the Joliet man again, this time telling him that more money was needed for him to get fully in compliance with the FTC. Returning to the Edgar Bar on April 11, 2024, the man this time paid Ethan $53,000. Still not done, the scammers contacted the man a third time, telling him still more money was needed. The victim liquidated a $50,000 investment and handed it over to the scammers on May 1, 2024. He was also instructed to buy a number of gift cards from Apple and Lowes that added up to $5,000, and hand those over. In all, the man lost $182,000 to the scammers.
Using rental car records and then flight data, investigators eventually identified Ethan as Wei Jia Luo, successfully matching an image of him to surveillance footage of Luo getting off a plane. Luo was arrested on July 31, 2025, in Arizona. He was carrying five fake Texas driver’s licenses, a Chinese passport with Luo’s picture but a different name, gift cards, and over $10,000 in cash.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The FBI and the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
California woman sentenced to 18 months for bank fraudRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A California woman who defrauded a local bank of over $170,000 was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and restitution in the amount of $170,666, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
A federal jury found Kristin Renee Zelonish Edwards, 39, guilty on four counts of bank fraud in February 2026 after a two-day trial.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Edwards defrauded Glacier Bank of over $170,000 by depositing 12 fraudulent savings bonds at four different bank branches in Northwest Montana.
Edwards traveled from California to Montana to deposit the savings bonds, making four trips between October 2022 and January 2023. Glacier Bank received notice in February 2023 from the United States Treasury Department that one of the savings bonds deposited by Edwards was fraudulent. Glacier Bank’s security officer called Edwards and informed her of the fraudulent bond. Her response was that she found the savings bonds while going through boxes of her deceased grandmother’s items with her mother.
Witnesses testified Edwards never received bonds from her grandmother’s estate. The savings bonds deposited by Edwards that were alleged to have been purchased by her grandmother had issue dates as early as 1980 – seven years before Edwards was born. The fraudulent savings bonds have Edwards’ Social Security Number printed on them, which means, if Edwards’ story were true, her grandmother bought the bonds in Edwards’ name and with Edwards’ Social Security Number years before Edwards was born.
The U.S. Secret Service analyzed the savings bonds and found they had several common defects and were not made with the printing presses used for authentic savings bonds. Edwards’ fraudulent savings bonds also share a common source with other fraudulent savings bonds that were deposited in Idaho and Colorado by Edwards’ unindicted co-conspirator.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katy Stack and Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service.
Billings woman sentenced to over 15 years in prison for drug trafficking, money launderingRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings woman who was part of running a multistate drug trafficking ring was sentenced today to prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Christina Lavon Hill, 43, who pleaded guilty in December 2025, was sentenced to 15 years and three months followed by five years of supervised release on one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. She was also sentenced to 15 years and three months followed by three years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Both sentences will run concurrently.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Hill was helping bring methamphetamine and fentanyl from California into Wyoming and Billings.
Law enforcement learned in June 2023 that Hill and Nathan Wilnau were selling illegal drugs in Billings. Hill was a leader in the operation and was sending money to a source in San Francisco, who then sent packages of illicit drugs to Billings and to Cody, Wyoming, which Wilnau would go and retrieve.
On his last trip, Wilnau drove to Cody, picked up the package, and was headed back to Billings when he was pulled over by law enforcement. Searching the vehicle, agents found over 10 pounds of meth. They also learned that the source in Cody had previously received three to four packages of meth for Hill. Wilnau was sentenced to 11 years in prison on meth possession charges in June 2026.
As the investigation continued, agents found records on Hill’s phone that showed she had conducted 19 financial transactions with four other people totaling about $38,300 from July 2022 to April 2024. Many of the transactions corresponded directly with USPS shipments of packages to Hill and with text messages in which Hill placed orders for meth and fentanyl. A package for Hill sent on July 26, 2024, was intercepted by law enforcement in which they found 3 pounds of meth. Hill was later arrested on drug charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Dunmore man sentenced to 5 years in prison for sexually abusing childRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Dunmore man who sexually abused a child on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to five years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Following a three-day trial in February 2026, a jury found Jared Cordell Stewart, 55, guilty of one count of abusive sexual contact of a child.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in July 2020 a child spoke out about Stewart sexually abusing her. However, during a follow-up visit from law enforcement, the victim denied the abuse.
About a year later, in October 2021, the police again spoke with the victim. This time she said Stewart had sexually abused her many times, beginning when she was 7 or 8 years old, and that she had lied to them previously at the direction of Stewart. Law enforcement interviewed everyone who lived in the home, and many reported seeing Stewart go into the victim’s room at night and after she showered.
Others who lived in the home reported seeing Stewart treat the victim differently and saw inappropriate photos of her on his cell phone. One child reported that while he was visiting the home he witnessed Stewart touch the victim’s legs while she was in bed. Another child reported Stewart made inappropriate comments about her and approached her while she was alone and asleep in her room. She said she refused Stewart’s advances, and she believes Stewart thereafter targeted the victim.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey M. Hendricks and Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI.
Jury finds Lame Deer man guilty of assault and attempted witness tamperingRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Lame Deer man who assaulted a woman with a metal bar as she and her companion walked in front of his house last fall was found guilty by a federal jury today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Following a three-day trial, Seth Anthony Basler, 41, was found guilty of one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of attempted witness tampering. Basler faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for Nov. 24, 2026. Basler was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Basler assaulted a woman as she and her companion walked by his house on the way to pick up their children after school on Sept. 17, 2025. The women were walking with their dog, and as they passed Basler’s yard, they stopped to pet one of Basler’s dogs that had come over to where they were walking.
Basler yelled from his house at the women to get away from his dogs and, as the women responded, he charged at one of them with a metal bar in his hands. He struck the woman on the head, cutting her scalp, and then struck her on the back when she fell to the ground. At some point he dropped the bar and began to punch her. The woman said she lost consciousness for a moment and then, as she came to, crawled over to Basler to grab his legs as he attacked her companion.
The two managed to get away from Basler, who said he was defending himself and his dogs from the two women when they came onto his property. Shortly after the assault, the two women returned to retrieve their phone, which had fallen to the ground during the attack. When they tried, Basler’s wife, who was now in the yard, refused to let them pick it up. The woman who had initially been struck by Basler was hit by him again, this time on the arm, when she tried to grab the phone from the ground.
When police arrived, the woman was taken to Lame Deer Clinic with injuries to her head, back and arm; Basler was arrested. While in jail, Basler called his wife multiple times and told her to exaggerate the severity of her injuries from the confrontation and to falsely state that she was outside when the fight began. He also told his wife to falsely say she was attacked by the woman he had struck with the bar and to say that he then intervened in an effort to protect his wife.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Yerger and Julia Patten prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the BIA.
Washington woman sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking meth into MontanaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Washington woman who was funneling meth into Montana was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Kasey Ann Willard, 52, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided at sentencing.
The government alleged in court documents that Willard had been dealing significant quantities of methamphetamine from Washington into Montana. In September 2025, law enforcement arranged to buy meth from Willard through an informant. The informant successfully purchased two pounds of meth from Willard and then asked to buy several more.
Willard made the sale and on Oct. 18, 2025, traveled from Washinton to Montana to make the delivery. She was pulled over in Saltese, Montana, where law enforcement found eight pounds of meth in a bag at her feet. Willard had previously been convicted in Washington of distributing methamphetamine in 2009.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Missoula Drug Task Force and the DEA conducted the investigation.
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Two Montana women plead guilty to drug chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A woman from Corvallis and another from Helena who were bringing methamphetamine into Montana from Washington admitted to charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Amanda Lynn Montoya, 42, from Corvallis, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Montoya faces 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Cristina Dallas Kunz, 36, from Helena, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Kunz faces 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided at the hearings and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Both defendants will be sentenced on November 13, 2026 and remained released on conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Montoya was distributing methamphetamine in Missoula. On May 28, 2026, law enforcement learned Montoya was travelling back to Montana from Washington and arranged a traffic stop to further investigate. Montoya was driving the car, and Kunz was in the passenger seat. In the vehicle, officers found two pounds of methamphetamine and $1,700 in cash. Searching Kunz’s phone, officers found messages detailing plans between Kunz and Montoya to distribute methamphetamine, and their plan to travel to Washington to purchase drugs.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Missoula Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
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Missouri woman pleads guilty to oxycodone traffickingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Missouri woman who was part of a Chicago-based drug ring that illegally obtained oxycodone from Montana pharmacies admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Whit’lee Laurie Amari Miller, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. Miller faces 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, at least three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided at the change of plea. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Miller remained out of custody on conditions pending sentencing which was set for November 12, 2026.
The government alleged in court documents that Miller, along with a group of associates, flew into Montana, visited various pharmacies across the state, and used falsified prescriptions to get oxycodone and other controlled substances. Miller and others in the group would give the oxycodone to Brandon Lavelle and Winfrey Jaylan Javier Wash, who then distributed it. Winfrey and Wash, who pleaded guilty to drug charges earlier this month, paid for expenses and directed group members which pharmacies to hit and when to enter.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and DEA conducted the investigation.
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Billings man sentenced to over 9 years in prison for trafficking methRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who was dealing meth from his Alderson Avenue home was sentenced to prison yesterday, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Joshua Mark Rideshorse, 41, who pleaded guilty in February 2026, was sentenced to nine years and five months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was also sentenced to nine years and five months, followed by three years of supervised release, on one count of a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Both sentences will run concurrently.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watter presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Rideshorse was dealing methamphetamine he bought in Washington. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force had learned in September 2024 that Rideshorse was possibly trafficking illicit drugs. On Oct. 16, 2024, the U.S. Marshal Service Montana Violent Offender's Task Force arrested Rideshorse at his Billings home on an outstanding warrant and while there spotted drugs, cash, and a pistol in the open. Rideshorse was convicted of a felony in 2022 and is currently prohibited from possessing a firearm. Law enforcement returned with a warrant and searched the house, where they found 4 ounces of methamphetamine, a stolen Smith & Wesson handgun, and $9,783 in cash.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Montana comprises agents and officers from a number of federal agencies as well as drug task forces throughout the state, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the U.S. Marshal Service Montana Violent Offender's Task Force conducted the investigation as part of the HSTF.
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Billings man sentenced to five years for drug-related crimesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who was dealing cocaine armed with a handgun from a strip mall parking lot was sentenced yesterday, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Satchel Vernard McDonald, 29, who pleaded guilty in February 2026, was sentenced to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was also sentenced to five years in prison and five years of supervised release on one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The two sentences will run consecutively.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that McDonald, armed with a handgun, was selling cocaine from his car in the parking lot of a Billings shopping plaza.
The Billings Police Department received a complaint on Dec. 28, 2023, from a local business on Central Avenue that they suspected drug deals were happening in the parking lot. The business had seen the same Ford Mustang repeatedly pull into the parking lot, meet with other cars, and then leave shortly after.
Investigators eventually spotted the Mustang and learned that it was registered to McDonald, who had an address nearby. On Jan. 6, 2024, Montana Highway Patrol pulled McDonald over for speeding. In an interview with law enforcement, McDonald acknowledged he had cocaine and a handgun in his car. He also told investigators he had been dealing cocaine for about six months and that he had cocaine, firearms, and a large quantity of cash at his residence.
Investigators obtained a warrant and searched McDonald’s house, where they found an additional handgun, an assault-style rifle, a shotgun, $27,877 in cash, a Rolex, and just under a pound of cocaine.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, the Montana Highway Patrol, and the ATF conducted the investigation.
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Billings man pleads guilty to trafficking methamphetamine on Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Billings man who trafficked methamphetamine on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
The defendant, Charles Jesse Sanchez, Jr., 61, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Sanchez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided at the change of plea hearing and sentencing will be set for a later date. U.S. District Judge Kathleen S. Lane will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sanchez remained detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Charles “Chuck” Sanchez is known to distribute methamphetamine in Billings, and on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Using a confidential source, BIA and FBI purchased four ounces of methamphetamine from Sanchez on June 19, 2023. The source messaged Sanchez and met with him in Billings. Sanchez provided the methamphetamine hidden inside a package of baby wipes. The source showed agents Facebook messages coordinating the purchase of meth from Sanchez.
Sanchez was previously convicted in U.S. District Court for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine (2000) and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (2017).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation.
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Wolf Point woman sentenced to over 4 years in prison for trafficking meth from Billings motelRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Wolf Point woman who was dealing meth out of a Billings motel room was sentenced Tuesday to four years and eight months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Destinee Fate Rowe, 27, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Rowe, while on probation with the state of Montana, was dealing methamphetamine in Billings. An informant told law enforcement Rowe was operating out of a room at the Vegas Hotel, which law enforcement then searched and found an ounce and a half of meth. About a week later, investigators received another tip that Rowe was now dealing meth out of the Econo Lodge in Billings. A search of the room and her vehicle turned up another ounce and a half of meth, which Rowe acknowledged she was selling.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Godfrey prosecuted the case. The ATF and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
Missoula woman sentenced to over five years in prison for trafficking methRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Missoula woman who fled from a city park after trying to sell meth was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Jody Lynn Pope, 30, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Pope, who also goes by Jody Lynn Nygaard, was dealing methamphetamine in Missoula. Law enforcement used an informant to set up a buy from Pope at Franklin Park on Dec. 10, 2025. Pope arrived in a vehicle driven by Brandon Gregory Genet, who sped away from the park when he spotted law enforcement. Genet was sentenced to prison on July 7, 2026, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Law enforcement found Pope on Dec. 11, 2025, who acknowledged to officers she had gone to Franklin Park the night before to sell 3 ounces of meth and that she had already sold 8 ounces of meth the previous week.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI's Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force and DEA conducted the investigation.
Idaho man sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking meth in MontanaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – An Idaho man who admitted to travelling to Montana to sell methamphetamine was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Duke Lee Flemings, 27, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Flemings was driving near Ronan on June 24, 2025, when he was pulled over for speeding. Flemings was wanted on several outstanding warrants and was arrested at the traffic stop, where he told officers they would find drugs in his vehicle. Officers found roughly an ounce of meth and messages on a cell phone that showed Flemings setting up meth deals in Montana.
Flemings was previously convicted of distribution of methamphetamine in federal court in Idaho in 2021.
U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigation and the Flathead Tribal Police conducted the investigation.
Billings man sentenced to 4 years in prison for defrauding customers in scrap metal business schemeRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who never turned over promised payments to customers on scrap metal he sold was sentenced today to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a $50,000 fine, and $300 in assessment fees, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Chad Miller Costello, 36, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of filing a false tax return.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that from 2018 to 2023 Costello ran a scrap metal business in Billings under different names that stole money from customers.
The scheme involved Costello promising to buy scrap metal at premium prices from various businesses across the United States and selling it to recyclers. When it was time to buy the scrap from customers, Costello would only pay a portion or nothing of the contract price, promising to pay later. He would then pick up the scrap metal, sell it to recyclers and keep the money. When the customers contacted him about the money he owed them, Costello would offer excuses, delay responses, and then stop communicating altogether. Costello would then launch a new business and repeat the scheme. The business names he used include M&M Recycling, Industrial Surplus Buying, A-1 Surplus, and ABC Iron & Metal.
The contracts typically involved large sums. In October 2022, Costello paid $150,000 in an initial installment for scrap metal that he took from a company in Coolidge, Arizona. Costello then sold the material to a recycler for more than $1 million and did not pay the balance he owed to the seller. Costello also filed his taxes in 2020, falsifying the documents and claiming an annual income significantly smaller than what he was making from his sales of scrap metal.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Butte woman sentenced to 11 years in prison for trafficking methRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Butte woman who was pulled over with 27 pounds of meth in her car was sentenced today to 11 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Carol Jane Soza, 61, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Soza was bringing methamphetamine into Montana from a source in Washington and selling it in Butte with the help of a partner.
In January 2025, law enforcement learned from a source who had been buying meth from Soza twice a month that Soza was regularly traveling to Washington to obtain her methamphetamine. A month later, law enforcement pulled over Soza and her partner in Rocker. Investigators found 10 pounds of meth in her partner’s suitcase and another 17 pounds in a duffle bag in the trunk. Also in the vehicle was Soza’s ledger that detailed her drug distribution, including an entry that broke down the cost of the meth that specifically noted 20 pounds were paid for and 7 pounds were “fronted.”
A cell phone search turned up messages that indicated the pair worked together to acquire the meth in Washington and distribute it in Butte. Soza was the connection with the Washington supplier and her partner handled the distribution in Butte.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
Billings man pleads guilty to trafficking fentanylRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who trafficked significant amounts of fentanyl from his West End home admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Jason Allen Lehman, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Lehman faces up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, a $5 million fine, and a $100 special assessment on the trafficking charge. For the gun charge he faces between five years and life in prison, five years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided at the change of plea and sentencing was set for a later date. U.S. District Judge Kathleen S. Lane will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Lehman remained on release pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Lehman had been using the postal service to obtain fentanyl pills, which he then trafficked around Billings from his home on the West End.
The investigation into Lehman began on Feb. 24, 2025, when law enforcement intercepted a suspicious package sent from an invalid Colorado address to a home on Green Teal Drive in Billings. Using a warrant, investigators opened the package and discovered more than 100 grams of fentanyl in the form of 1,000 pills. A cell number associated with the package was registered to Lehman.
A month later, law enforcement spoke with a source who had purchased fentanyl from a man named “Jason Holtz,” who drove a Ford F-150, and lived on Green Teal Drive. By April 2025, law enforcement had learned of a second person who had purchased fentanyl from Lehman at the address on Green Teal Drive. On April 21, 2025, law enforcement intercepted another package containing fentanyl addressed to the Green Teal Drive home. Investigators then obtained a search warrant for the home and the Ford F-150, and found roughly 1,500 fentanyl pills, drug paraphernalia, a handgun, a shotgun, an assault-style rifle, and a bolt action hunting rifle.
In interviews with law enforcement, Lehman acknowledged he purchased fentanyl pills online, which were then shipped to his home under different names. He said he used most of the pills himself but said he also sold some and gave some away. He said he kept the guns for protection.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The United States Postal Inspection Service and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.
2 Montana women sentenced to prison for Billings carjacking homicideRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – Two women who helped carjack a pickup truck that ended with the driver’s death in a South Side Billings neighborhood were sentenced to prison last week, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Violet Jean Littlelight, 23, from Hardin, who pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count carjacking that resulted in death, was sentenced Wednesday to 24 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Shyanna Jo Whitewolf, 21, from Billings, who pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count carjacking that resulted in death, was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Littlelight, along with Whitewolf and a third conspirator, Brian Contreraz, 31, lured an acquaintance of Littlelight’s to South Park in Billings to rob him and steal his pickup truck.
Littlelight was spending time with Whitewolf and Contreraz in Billings on May 16, 2025, and had been texting that evening with Keith Breckenridge, 51, asking if he would come pick her up. When Littlelight told Whitewolf and Contreraz she’d asked Breckenridge for a ride, the three made plans to steal his truck and take it to a drug dealer they knew in Hardin to exchange for drugs or money.
Littlelight told Breckenridge to meet her at South Park; Whitewolf and Contreraz came along under the pretense of needing a ride. When Breckinridge arrived and saw the two additional people, he grew suspicious and kept the doors on his pickup locked, asking to know who Whitewolf and Contreraz were. Littlelight vouched for them and told Breckenridge they just wanted a ride. With Littlelight’s assurances, Breckenridge opened the doors and the three climbed into his truck.
Contreraz told Breckenridge to drive to the alleyway behind Adams Street on Billings’s South Side while Whitewolf chatted with Breckenridge to keep him calm. Once there, Breckenridge stopped the truck and Contreraz leaned over and stabbed him approximately 20 times in the neck, chest, and stomach. Littlelight, Whitewolf, and Contreraz then pulled Breckenridge from the truck, placed him on the ground and drove away. Breckenridge died in the alley from his stab wounds.
The three drove the pickup to a house in Hardin where they changed their blood-stained clothes and placed them in the truck. From there they drove to a house on the Crow Reservation, where Littlelight and Contreraz decided they would clean the interior of the pickup and burn their bloody clothes along with other evidence from the truck. As they were cleaning the pickup, BIA officers pulled up. Littlelight and Contreraz ran off; Whitewolf stayed and told officers she had nothing to do with the truck. By the end of the month, law enforcement had all three in custody.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. The FBI adopted the case to assist with expedition of laboratory testing and for federal prosecution purposes.
Mexican national sentenced to 6 months in prison for illegal reentry into the U.S.Read the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Mexican citizen who was in the country illegally after having been removed three times before was sentenced Tuesday to six months in prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Rogelio Hernandez-Olivares, 45, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Hernandez-Olivares was in the United States illegally after having been removed once in 2009 and twice more in March and October of 2025. On Jan. 20, 2026, Border Patrol agents encountered Hernandez-Olivares during a traffic stop in Rocker. Hernandez-Olivares initially gave authorities a false name but admitted to being in the country illegally. Hernandez-Olivares was later correctly identified and law enforcement learned he had been removed from the country three times before.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Missoula man sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Missoula man who was a local supplier of methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Brandon Gregory Genet, 30, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Genet was distributing methamphetamine in Missoula, supplying at least one dealer.
The case began on Dec. 10, 2025, when law enforcement used an informant to set up a buy from a suspected meth dealer at Franklin Park in Missoula. The suspect arrived in a vehicle driven by Genet, who sped away from the park when he spotted law enforcement. A tip to law enforcement the next day revealed that Genet was the suspect’s supplier and that he kept his stash in a safe at his home. Officers obtained a warrant and searched Genet’s safe, where they found approximately 96 grams of suspected fentanyl pills and 165 grams of methamphetamine. The DEA lab confirmed the substances were a fentanyl analog and methamphetamine.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI's Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force and DEA conducted the investigation.
Indiana man pleads guilty to sex trafficking underage Montana girlRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – An Indiana man who traveled to Montana to have sex with a minor, and had explicit images of her on his phone, admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Brandon Cole Stoliby, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and one count of transportation of child pornography. On the first charge, Stoliby faces 30 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, a $5,000 special assessment, and an additional $100 special assessment. On the second charge, Stoliby faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, a $35,000 special assessment, a $5,000 special assessment, and an additional $100 special assessment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided at the change of plea and sentencing was set for Nov. 3, 2026. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Malloy will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Stoliby remained in custody pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Stoliby met a 15-year-old Montana girl through Snapchat, exchanged sexually explicit messages and photos with her, and then traveled from Indiana to Missoula with his wife and children to pick up the girl and take her back to his home in Indiana.
The incident began in March 2025 when Stoliby and the girl met over Snapchat. She presented herself as 18 and Stoliby quickly showed sexual interest in her, sending her explicit messages and persuading her to send him explicit images. Those images were later found on Stoliby’s phone when he was eventually arrested in Montana.
By April 2025, the two had made plans for Stoliby to travel to Montana to pick her up and move her back to Indiana. While traveling with his family, Stoliby and the girl made plans for her to sell explicit images of herself to help cover the costs of the trip and the move. He arrived in Missoula County on April 6, 2025, picked the girl up from her home and took her to Butte, where the two engaged in sexual intercourse.
From there, they headed to Rapid City, South Dakota, where they were located by law enforcement and the girl was removed from Stoliby’s custody. Authorities also told Stoliby that the girl was 15. After contact with law enforcement, Stoliby again met up with the girl a day later and they resumed their trip to Indiana. This time, the girl’s guardians texted the girl and demanded she return.
Stoliby drove back to Montana and stayed the night in Billings, where he and his wife attempted to engage the girl in sexual activity. The next day they returned the girl to her guardians, who traveled back to Missoula County with her. However, Stolibly returned to Missoula County to pick her up again that night, without the knowledge of her guardians. They again left for Indiana but were stopped this time in Powder River County. The girl was once again returned to her guardians. Stoliby was later arrested and admitted in interviews with law enforcement to exchanging sexually explicit images with the girl, engaging in a sexual relationship with her, and keeping explicit photos she had sent him.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney is prosecuting the case. The Missoula County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.