District of Montana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Poplar man sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for murderRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Poplar man convicted of murder and using a firearm in the commission of the murder was sentenced to 186 months in prison and five years of supervised release Wednesday, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Michael J. Ackerman, 74, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of second-degree murder and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that early in the morning on Sept. 14, 2025, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s deputies in Billings received a call and were told Ackerman had admitted to killing three people – Jane Doe 1, John Doe and Jane Doe 2. Deputies then tried to contact Ackerman inside the house in Billings.
After deputies read Ackerman his Miranda rights, he agreed to speak with law enforcement. He said on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, he was in his home in Poplar and he and the rest of the people in the house were using methamphetamine. Ackerman believed Jane Doe 1, John Doe, and Jane Doe 2 were “setting him up.” Ackerman said he was in the bedroom with Jane Doe 1, and Jane Doe 1 had a pistol in her hand. In response, Ackerman picked up his Smith and Wesson 9 mm pistol and shot Jane Doe 1 twice in the head. The defendant then said he heard John Doe and Jane Doe 2 moving in the next room so walked over where John Doe and Jane Doe 2 were sleeping and shot them both. Ackerman told deputies they would find the deceased inside his house in Poplar.
Yellowstone County contacted Fort Peck Law and Justice Department officers, who went to the Poplar residence and received no response. They were granted a telephonic search warrant from the Fort Peck Tribal Court and went inside the house at around 5:30 a.m. Inside they found the dead bodies mentioned by Ackerman – Jane Doe 1, John Doe, and Jane Doe 2. All three had gunshot wounds and four 9 mm casings were close to the bodies.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Las Vegas man sentenced to more than two years in prison for stealing coins, precious metal from Helena shopRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Las Vegas man who stole nearly $59,000 in coins and precious metal from a Helena business was sentenced today to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $276,153.08 in restitution to the Helena business as well as five other theft victims, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Bishop Lott, 47, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Lott, along with Ricky Rynell Rose, broke into Wayne Miller Coins in Helena and stole $58,629 worth of coins and precious metal. Rose pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to 39 months in prison.
The Helena Police Department got a call March 3, 2024, saying that Wayne Miller Coins had been burglarized earlier that day. As part of their investigation, Helena police officers reviewed surveillance footage from multiple businesses and analyzed email account data, which led them to Lott and Rose, who had taken the stolen material to Nevada.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Helena Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation.
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Hays man sentenced to a year in prison for assaulting womenRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Hays man convicted of assaulting two women on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced to prison today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Lane Blake Kirkaldie, 21, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of simple assault. For the assault with a dangerous weapon charge, Kirkaldie will serve 12 months a one day in prison; for the simple assault, he’ll serve six months. The two sentences will run concurrent.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in the early hours of Jan. 1, 2025, Kirkaldie and a group of people were gathered at a house on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation to celebrate New Year’s. At some point in the night, according to witnesses, Kirkaldie got into an altercation with Jane Doe 2, with whom he was in a romantic relationship. Kirkaldie was told to leave; Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 left the house with him.
The trio walked to a business in Lodge Pole where Kirkaldie was captured on surveillance video throwing things and then lunging toward Jane Doe 2. The video also shows him making threatening comments while holding a glass bottle. A second surveillance video from inside the business shows both Jane Does leave the building, with Kirkaldie trailing them outside. He tried to approach Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 1 put herself between them. She held Kirkaldie back as Jane Doe 2 returned inside. Kirkaldie then pushed Jane Doe 1 away and struck her in the head with the glass bottle, which cut her head deeply enough to require stitches.
A third surveillance video captures the three back inside the building. Both women are crying and Kirkaldie can be heard making more threatening comments. He then appears either to strike or attempt to strike Jane Doe 2 in the face.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
Great Falls man pleads guilty to drug chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who was caught trafficking fentanyl pills admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Zachary Taylor Cortez, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and faces five to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, at least four years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for September 24, 2026. Cortez was remanded pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that from June to August 2024, the Great Falls Police Department launched an investigation into Cortez and a co-defendant, whom law enforcement officials suspected were distributing fentanyl in town. Through the course of the investigation, officers obtained a warrant to track and search Cortez’s vehicle. Police then pulled over the vehicle and discovered 97 grams of fentanyl in pill form and a digital scale.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Great Falls Police Department, the Russell Country Drug Taskforce, and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation.
Undocumented worker pleads guilty to possessing a forged immigration documentRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Mexican national who had previously been deported and was living in the country illegally with a forged permanent resident card admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Isaias Martinez Araiza, 48, pleaded guilty today to one count of possessing a fraudulent immigration document and one count of illegal reentry into the country. Araiza faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for each count.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 8, 2026, in Great Falls. Araiza remained detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in early April 2026, Araiza was living in Great Falls with a Permanent Resident Alien card containing another person’s alien number that he illegally obtained. Araiza had previously been deported from the United States in May 2017 after authorities discovered he had a felony conviction on his record from June 2003.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. Homeland Security 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.
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Missoula police officer honored as Hometown HeroRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – As part of the nation’s Freedom 250 celebration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Montana recognized Missoula police officer Dylan Harris as a Hometown Hero in a small ceremony this morning.
Harris has worked for the Missoula Police Department since 2021, where he currently serves as the School Resource Officer for Hellgate High School. He also serves as the department’s field training officer, crisis team negotiator and leads and instructs the department’s riot team. He began his career with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office in Washington state in 2016 after graduating from the University of Montana.
In addition to his duties with the MPD, Harris proudly serves with Oregon National Guard. From 2024 to 2025, Harris was deployed to northeast Syria as a captain in the field artillery as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. He served as a battery commander for two different batteries simultaneously in two different locations with over 100 soldiers under his command. His service there earned him the Bronze Star.
“I can think of no better way to contribute to the celebration of America’s 250th birthday than to recognize one of our fellow citizens for his dedicated efforts to keep his community safe. Public service is one of the hallmarks of this great country and working in law enforcement and serving in the military are two of its purest forms. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is grateful to all our service members and our partners in law enforcement. We’re honored to recognize Officer Harris for his selflessness commitment to his city, state, and country.” said Tim Racicot, acting U.S. Attorney.
Harris comes from a proud tradition of law enforcement and public service. His father served with the Portland Police Bureau and currently serves with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. His brother is a sergeant with the Vancouver Police Department in Washington.
Harris is supported by the love of his wife and son, and he remains steadfast in his dedication to the City of Missoula and the broader community. Through his leadership, integrity and continued service, he exemplifies the values of professionalism, courage and selfless commitment that define the spirit of the U.S. Justice Department’s Hometown Hero Award.
The Hometown Hero Award, offered in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, celebrates the enduring ideals of liberty, service and civic responsibility. It is bestowed in recognition of brave men and women who exemplify steadfast commitment to these ideals and embody the spirit upon which our nation was founded.
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Hays woman sentenced to prison for assaultRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Hays woman who participated in the assault of a man who later succumbed to his injuries was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Alta Rose Chandler, 24, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Fort Belknap law enforcement, responding to a 911 call, discovered John Doe bloodied and unconscious on his kitchen floor around 6 a.m. September 30, 2023. At the home were Doe’s adult daughter, Heavenlee Drewann Sears, a relative who had called 911, and Chandler.
Earlier in the evening, Sears and Chandler were driving around Fort Belknap and drinking from a bottle of peppermint schnapps they’d purchased during their night out after consuming an 18-pack of beer. At some point, they arrived at Doe’s house and continued drinking with him in his kitchen. Sears later told investigators she lost her temper and struck Doe repeatedly in the head with the glass schnapps bottle, knocking him to the floor. Once on the ground, Chandler continued to punch Doe in the head, leaving her knuckles bruised.
Once paramedics arrived, Doe was taken to Fort Belknap Indian Health Services where he was unresponsive and breathing erratically. His ears and face were bruised and swollen, his nose was lacerated, his upper lip was lacerated, and he had a human bite mark on his forehead. He also had bite marks on his left wrist and left upper chest.
Doe died two months later on December 11, 2023, due to a traumatic brain injury. On March 11, 2026, Sears was sentenced to 22 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for her role in the assault.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Harlem man pleads guilty to drug chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Harlem man who was discovered with methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, and scales at home admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Harold Edwin Main, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to distribute. Main faces five to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, at least four years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for September 23, 2026. Main was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on April 15, 2024, a Fort Belknap police officer pulled over a 2017 Jeep Cherokee driven by Main with three other passengers, two of them children. The officer discovered inside the vehicle methamphetamine and 42 fentanyl pills. The majority of the pills were found in an Altoids tin tucked under the leg of one of the children.
Following the traffic stop Fort Belknap police executed a search warrant on Main’s house on Fort Belknap. There officers discovered more methamphetamine, some of it bagged, along with two digital scales, packaging material with smaller baggies, small blue and white pills, and other drug paraphernalia. Officers seized a total of 5 grams of methamphetamine.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The BIA Fort Belknap Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Bozeman woman sentenced to prison for bank fraud and money launderingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Bozeman woman who obtained federal COVID relief funds through fraud was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
Alaina Marie Garcia, 41, previously pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering.
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.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 5, 2020, Garcia, as an authorized representative of Bluebird Property Rentals LLC, an entity she controlled, applied for and was approved for a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan through Celtic Bank in the amount of $613,000. In the PPP application, Garcia falsely stated Bluebird Property Rentals LLC had paid payroll taxes and had 32 employees with an average monthly payroll expense of $245,533. None of these statements were true.
In reality, Garcia and Bluebird Property Rentals LLC had no employees and had never paid payroll taxes. Both of these fraudulent statements were material as they affected Garcia’s eligibility to receive the loan and the amount she received. Without these fraudulent statements, the loan would not have been issued.
In the loan application, Garcia also agreed the funds “will be used to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments, as specified under the Paycheck Protection Program Rule.” Instead, Garcia spent the funds on personal expenses for her private benefit. Most of the funds were used to purchase a large piece of property in the Bozeman area. On May 11, 2020, Garcia transferred $548,000 of the loan proceeds to Axilon Law Group as a part of this real estate transaction.
On July 25, 2020, Garcia applied for and was granted forgiveness of the loan. To obtain forgiveness, Garcia falsely claimed to have used the funds for qualified expenses including payroll and business mortgage interest payments. None of these statements were true.
“While business owners and families were struggling during the COVID pandemic, Garcia was scheming to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program for personal gain,” said Amanda Prestegard, Special Agent in Charge of IRS‑CI’s Denver Field Office. “IRS‑CI has dedicated significant resources to investigating and uncovering COVID‑relief fraud and holding those who stole from these programs accountable continues to be a top priority.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The Internal Revenue Service and Small Business Administration conducted the investigation.
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Billings man pleads guilty to drug chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Billings man who trafficked significant amounts of methamphetamine admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Joshua Jacob Best, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Best faces 15 years to life in prison, a $20,000,000 fine, at least 10 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for October 1, 2026. Best remained detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that a drug smuggling ring run out of Mexico and operating in Wyoming, South Dakota, California, and Montana, had operators in Billings. Billings police learned through an informant in June 2023 that Raymond Best was bringing “pounds of meth” and other drug into Billings.
Over the course of the next several months, investigators learned Best’s brother, Joshua Best, was helping move cash and drugs between Mexico and Billings. During an undercover operation in October 2023, Joshua Best arranged to deliver $67,000 in the Walmart parking lot to an undercover agent who would then transport the money to the Los Angeles area. Best showed up to make the drop in a black Chevy Camaro.
In January 2024, following a lead from the DEA, law enforcement pulled over a courier in a rental car after it had left Des Moines, Iowa, and discovered 57 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 1 kilogram of cocaine and approximately 2 pounds of marijuana. The rental car had been arranged by Joshua Best, who was the contact to pick up the drugs once they reached Billings.
Then in March 2024, Joshua Best crashed a black Chevy Camaro on Monad Road. He ran from the scene, dropping two heat-sealed bags as he fled. Officers served a search warrant on the Camaro and found a vacuum sealed bag containing 496.4 grams of methamphetamine on the driver’s side floor. Also in the car were numerous documents belonging to Joshua Best even though he was not the registered owner.
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.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Billings Police Department and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force conducted the investigation as part of the HSTF.
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Park County man sentenced to 10 years in prison for hoarding cache of illegal incendiary devicesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Park County man who built and stored incendiary devices in his trailer in Pray, Montana, and kept detailed plans on how to attack nearby Chico Hot Springs, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Kadin Hawkeye Lewis, 24, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of possession of unregistered destructive devices.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that a call to law enforcement on Sept. 19, 2022, led officers to Lewis’ travel trailer in Pray, an unincorporated community in Park County, Montana. Once inside the trailer, officers discovered the body of a man who had multiple gunshot wounds to the top and back of the head.
Officers obtained a search warrant for the trailer and inside found eight Molotov cocktails stored in a cabinet, each bottle assembled with fuel and wicks. Elsewhere in the trailer, officers found dozens of empty bottles and rags that could be used to assemble more Molotov cocktails, as well as several journals and other writings belonging to Lewis. On the walls, officers observed violent extremist and racially motivated drawings and writing.
In some of his journals, Lewis detailed his admiration of mass shooters and fantasized about using Molotov cocktails as destructive devices to attack Chico Hot Springs, a nearby resort. He wrote about using the Molotov cocktails and firearms to build up a “kill count” as high as possible, aiming for between “17 and 30 casualties.” He also identified other hot spring resorts throughout Montana by name and location and wrote that it was his hope his attack would inspire others.
The Molotov cocktail evidence from the trailer was collected and submitted to the FBI Laboratory. Explosives experts there determined the material inside the bottles was an ignitable liquid that, when lit, would function as an improvised incendiary device, commonly known as homemade firebombs or Molotov cocktails. A search of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record found Lewis had never applied for or received permission to possess a destructive device.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Starnes prosecuted the case. The FBI and Park County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Florence man and woman sentenced to prison for drug trafficking in MissoulaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A man and woman from Florence who trafficked methamphetamine in Missoula were sentenced to prison today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Megal Vincienzo Daricek, 30, and Summer Dawn Walraven, 28, both pleaded guilty in January 2026, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Daricek also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Walraven was sentenced today to 48 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Daricek was sentenced to 140 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that both Walraven and Daricek had traveled to Spokane, Washington, to pick up methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it in Missoula.
Members of the Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force executed a search warrant on April 4, 2025, on Walraven’s room at the Liv-A-Way Suites in Missoula after receiving a tip that she and Daricek were trafficking methamphetamine. While searching Walraven’s room, officers found over a pound of meth, numerous baggies, scales and other items that could be used in the distribution of illicit substances.
Walraven told officers she had purchased approximately two pounds of meth in Spokane with plans to traffic it in Missoula.
A month later, officers pulled over Daricek on May 2, 2025, continuing the Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force investigation into the transportation of methamphetamine from Spokane to Missoula. After initially denying that he had drugs in the car, Daricek admitted to officers that he used meth and had picked up “pound quantities” of it in Spokane. He also acknowledged that he had obtained a Glock .40 firearm during one of his transactions.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.
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Missoula man sentenced to over 7 years in prison for drug trafficking in MissoulaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Missoula man who trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl between Washington and Missoula was sentenced today to 87 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Joseph Daniel Cierley, 38, pleaded guilty in January 2026, to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Cierley with a pair of associates were transporting methamphetamine and fentanyl from Washington state to Missoula with plans to distribute.
Law enforcement officers began surveillance on Cierley and his associates in summer 2025 after receiving a tip from an informant that the group was bringing back “pounds of methamphetamine and ounces of fentanyl” from Washington.
Officers conducted a traffic stop in July 2025 of a vehicle in which the three men were traveling; Cierley was a passenger. In the vehicle, agents discovered 896.9 grams, or nearly 2 pounds, of meth, 66.4 grams of fentanyl pills and a loaded .357 revolver. A search of the men’s cell phones showed that all three were involved in distributing the drugs. It also showed 1,000 of the fentanyl pills had been purchased by Cierley.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missoula Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
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Wyola man pleads guilty to sex offenseRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Wyola man who sent inappropriate text messages, photos, and videos to a minor admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Truman Frank Jefferson, Jr., 50, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted coercion and enticement. Jefferson faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for September 29, 2026. Jefferson remained detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in June 2024 law enforcement responded to a home in Lodge Grass for a trespass complaint regarding Jefferson. There, 16-year-old Jane Doe disclosed Jefferson had been sexually harassing her for years. Jane Doe reported she began receiving inappropriate text messages, photos, and videos from him years earlier.
Doe described multiple instances when Jefferson messaged her to come see him and then requested she touch his exposed penis. Jane Doe said one of those incidents occurred when she was 14 or 15 years old in Bozeman when Jefferson sent her a text message instructing her to come outside to his vehicle because he had a present for her. Once she was close to him, Jane Doe observed his exposed penis and he told her to “touch it.”
Investigators recovered messages from Jefferson to Jane Doe. One of the recovered conversations was from Jefferson’s cell phone and contained his request to perform oral sex on Jane Doe. Jefferson, in his 40s when he was messaging Jane Doe, knew she was under 18 years old.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Hendricks is prosecuting the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation.
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Oregon man sentenced to over 6 years in prison for drug trafficking in BillingsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – An Oregon man who trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Billings was sentenced today to 82 months of imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Derry Jerel Howard, 55, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Susan P Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on January 11, 2023, law enforcement received information an individual was selling drugs in Billings. They located the individual in a vehicle in downtown Billings. They also saw a male, later identified as Howard, driving the vehicle. Law enforcement watched Howard commit several traffic violations and stopped the car. The vehicle slowly came to a stop and when Howard got out of the driver’s door a baggie with suspected meth was observed on the driver’s seat in plain view. Also in plain view in the rear seat was a container with suspected fentanyl pills. Howard was advised of his rights and denied knowing there were drugs in his vehicle. The other individual was advised of his rights and stated he and Howard were on their way to sell fentanyl pills and the drugs in the vehicle were Howard’s. The individual also told officers Howard had a large cache of drugs at his apartment.
After obtaining a search warrant for Howard’s apartment, officers recovered approximately 117 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 153 grams of fentanyl, and a significant quantity of US currency.
After the search, law enforcement interviewed Howard and he admitted purchasing meth and fentanyl pills to sell in Billings.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Chicago woman sentenced for trafficking oxycodoneRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Chicago woman who was part of a drug trafficking organization involved in the diversion of oxycodone and promethazine-codeine from pharmacies throughout the United States was sentenced today to 12 months of imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Alize Hydeia Gist, 29, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Gist joined a Chicago-based group that flew into Montana, presented fake prescriptions to Montana pharmacies, and, when doing so, fraudulently obtained oxycodone and other controlled substances, none of which they were entitled to receive. After obtaining the drugs, Gist and others gave the drugs to co-defendants for further distribution.
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.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA conducted the investigation as part of the HSTF.
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Billings man pleads guilty to drug chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Billings man who trafficked significant amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Raymond Eugene Best, Jr., 44, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Best faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for September 24, 2026. Best remained detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that beginning in approximately 2023, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking ring based out of Mexico that was sourcing illegal narcotics to Wyoming, South Dakota, California, Montana, including Billings, and elsewhere. The group, including Best, was distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl.
On June 12, 2023, the Billings Police Department received information from a criminal informant that Ray Best is the “main man” in Billings, bringing in 50-100 pounds of meth and tens of thousands of “blues.” Ray Best was described as a non-user, but a dealer who stores drugs at other people’s houses. An individual was contacted and provided additional insight about Best’s dealing in Billings.
On June 26, 2023, Billings Police Department determined an apartment belonging to a co-defendant was used for storing drugs for Best. A state search warrant was executed and officers located 7 grams of fentanyl pills and 16.7 grams of meth in a back bedroom.
On August 2, 2023, law enforcement officers served a search warrant on a co-conspirator’s hotel room in Billings. Approximately 2.77 pounds of methamphetamine were seized. Law enforcement determined the original amount was 8 pounds, but most had been distributed to other people. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at a different co-conspirator’s house and seized eight more ounces of meth. Best and a co-defendant, who were in Mexico at the time, coordinated the re-distribution of the original 8-pound quantity. Phone messages and other electronic communications showed Best’s continued involvement in the distribution of meth and cocaine in 2023. Messages were also being sent by a co-defendant who was with Best and using the same Facebook account, including: “Are you ready for another pound yet?” and “Cause you almost paid off.”
Best was previously convicted of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in the United States District Court for the District of Montana in 2012, when he was sentenced to prison for over 13 years. Best was still on federal supervised release when he committed these new crimes.
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.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The DEA, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Task Force, and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation as part of the HSTF.
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Belgrade man sentenced to over 18 years in prison on cocaine and gun chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Belgrade man who was trafficking cocaine while possessing a firearm in Belgrade and Bozeman was sentenced today to 220 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Leodis Robert Roach, 43, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christenson presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 6, 2025, law enforcement officers used a confidential informant to conduct a controlled purchase of one ounce of cocaine from Leodis Roach and a co-defendant.
On May 22, 2025, the confidential informant conducted another controlled purchase of one ounce of cocaine from Roach and a co-defendant.
On June 4, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop in Bozeman. Roach was a passenger in the vehicle and was arrested on an outstanding warrant. Officers located approximately 25 grams of cocaine that was individually packaged in the vehicle and a Glock pistol under the passenger seat where Roach had been sitting. A search warrant was executed at the driver’s residence. Roach’s vehicle was in the garage and contained approximately 937 grams of cocaine, body armor, and a Diamondback firearm.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
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Washington man sentenced to 5 years in prison for trafficking fentanylRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Washington man who was selling fentanyl pills in Havre and the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Timothy Harris, 56, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to conspiracy to possess with the intent to deliver fentanyl.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Harris conspired with others to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl from May 2023 until June 19, 2023.
Sources said Harris and a co-defendant were working together to bring drugs from Washington to distribute on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, they kept their stash of drugs off of the reservation, and they would front a couple hundred pills at a time to individuals on the reservation and other places to sell.
On May 18, 2023, a source met with Harris and gave him $800 for 30 fentanyl pills. Harris directed the source to pick up the fentanyl from another person at a house on Rocky Boy’s. On May 31, 2023, the source conducted another controlled purchase of 20 fentanyl pills from Harris for $800. The drugs were exchanged at a hotel in Havre. On June 15, 2023, the source spoke with Harris about purchasing additional fentanyl pills. Harris directed the source to go to a hotel parking lot in Havre. Once in the parking lot, the source was met by Harris’s co-defendant who sold the source 20 fentanyl pills in exchange for $800.
On June 19, 2023, a search warrant was executed on a motel room in Big Sandy rented by Harris’s co-defendant. Law enforcement located 3,200 fentanyl pills and a Springfield, model XDM Elite, 10mm handgun with a loaded 10 round magazine under the bed. An additional magazine, a box of 10mm ammunition, an SD card, and $437 in U.S. currency were also located in the motel room.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and the Tri-Agency Task Force conducted the investigation.
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Poplar bookkeeper sentenced for embezzling over $150,000 from local companyRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Poplar bookkeeper who wrote unauthorized checks, modified payroll amounts, and utilized company checks and credit cards for unauthorized personal expenses was sentenced today to 6 months of imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Parker Lee Gray Hawk, 36, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of wire fraud.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Fort Peck Manufacturing, Inc., (FPM), with assistance from its bank, discovered Gray Hawk was taking money from the company. In late 2023, FPM learned their bank account had a negative balance based on some questionable transactions, including checks with wholly round numbers and no taxes withheld. All the questionable checks were signed by Parker Gray Hawk. A review of the bank statements indicated a number of checks written and signed by Gray Hawk to non-FPM employees. Gray Hawk also used the company credit card to make online purchases, including from Amazon, and initiated other unauthorized electronic payments, including to Apple, CashApp, PayPal, and Western Union.
Law enforcement interviewed the non-FPM employees to whom Gray Hawk wrote checks and they said she requested they cash the checks, and they would keep some of the money while Gray Hawk kept the rest.
Gray Hawk embezzled approximately $166,156.47 from FPM between 2021 and 2023 ($98,644.28 in fraudulent checks and $67,512.19 in fraudulent electronic transactions). Gray Hawk was ordered to pay $131,901.57 in restitution.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law & Justice conducted the investigation.
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Pryor man sentenced to over 7 years in prison for sexual abuse on Blackfeet and Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Pryor man who sexually abused two females on the Blackfeet and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations was sentenced today to 87 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Esaias Stops Pretty Places, 22, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to two counts of sexual abuse.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Stops Pretty Places raped a woman in May 2023 on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. He and the victim had been driving around with other people drinking alcohol and eventually ended up at a residence on the reservation, where Stops Pretty Places ignored the victim’s objections and raped her. The victim left the house after the assault and immediately called the police.
A few months later, in July 2023, Stops Pretty Places and another victim were at a house in Lame Deer on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Stops Pretty Places made sexual advances toward the victim and eventually made her perform oral sex in him.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation.
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Billings man sentenced for illegal firearm possession after road rage incidentRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced today to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Matthew David Slemmer, 41, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on January 17, 2025, an individual called 911 and said Slemmer pulled a gun on him following an exchange in traffic. According to the caller, Slemmer pulled into a parking lot and brandished a firearm before leaving the scene.
Shortly after law enforcement arrived, Slemmer returned to the parking lot. He eventually provided a statement in which he denied brandishing a firearm but admitted he had a gun in his car. After a further exchange, Slemmer provided consent to search his vehicle and law enforcement discovered a Hi-Point Firearms, Model C9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol exactly where Slemmer said it would be located.
Almost one year before the incident in the parking lot, on March 5, 2024, a hearing was held on a petition for a Temporary Order of Protection against Slemmer. He was present at the hearing. Another hearing was set for April 1, 2024, at which point the Temporary Order became permanent. The order says Slemmer shall not “threaten to commit or commit acts of violence” or “not harass, annoy, disturb” or otherwise communicate with the petitioner, who had a child and an ongoing intimate relationship with him. The permanent order also prohibited Slemmer from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The ATF and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Mexican man sentenced for using fraudulent immigration documentsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Mexican man who used fake immigration documents was sentenced today to time served, 62 days, and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Salvador Santiago-Lopez, 33, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of use and possession of fraudulent immigration documents.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on March 6, 2026, law enforcement stopped a car near Malta in which Salvador Santiago-Lopez was a passenger. During the stop, law enforcement discovered he is a Mexican citizen without papers to be in the United States legally.
Santiago-Lopez was informed of his Miranda rights, acknowledged understanding them, and continued to answer questions. He admitted to being a citizen and national of Mexico without legal documentation to enter, pass through, or remain in the United States. He further admitted to crossing the international boundary illegally without inspection by an Immigration Officer at a designated Port of Entry.
Santiago-Lopez claimed ownership over $18,000 of US currency found in his duffle bag and said the purpose of his travel was to borrow $12,000 from his brother in Washington so he would have $30,000 to pay to have his sister smuggled into the United States. Santiago-Lopez was found to be in possession of a fake social security card and a fake I-551 card. He said he used the fake documents to gain employment. Santiago-Lopez also acknowledged using the fake documents when he was arrested for DUI.
DHS records indicate that Santiago-Lopez entered the United States illegally on August 20, 2017.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Border Patrol and Phillips County Sheriff’s Office 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.
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Texas man sentenced for trafficking eaglesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Texas man who trafficked bald and golden eagles was sentenced today to five years of probation and restitution in the amount of $77,500.00, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
John Patrick Butler, 71, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of conspiracy, two counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles, and one count of purchasing eagles and eagle parts that had been killed illegally, in violation of the Lacey Act.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement uncovered messages from co-defendant Travis John Branson and others describing the illegal taking of eagles by stating, “[O]ut [here] committing felonies,” and telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to obtain eagle tail feathers for future sales.
Co-defendant Simon Paul, Branson, and others, hunted and killed eagles on the Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere. In total, approximately 3,600 birds were killed, including eagles. They then illegally sold the eagles on the black market for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere.
The killing of eagles is fueled by individuals willing to purchase the eagles on the black market. Butler was one of those purchasers and he requested the killing of specific types of eagles. For example, Butler inquired of Branson, “Did u ever see any crispy ones yet?” Butler would then purchase eagles from co-defendants by transferring money through PayPal and other forms of online payment. In return, the co-defendants sent the eagles, including their parts, through the mail from Montana to Humble, Texas, where Butler resides. Postal records and text messages confirm Butler received the eagles, hawks, and their parts.
From November 2020 until March 2021, Butler purchased eagles shot in Montana and elsewhere, including:
- On December 14, 2020, Butler paid Branson $450 through PayPal for two tail feather sets—a golden eagle tail set and a bald eagle tail set.
- On December 17, 2020, Branson sent a text message to Butler with a photo of a golden eagle tail set. On the same date, Butler paid Branson $300 through a PayPal purchase for the golden eagle tail set.
- On December 28, 2020, Butler sent Branson $750 for the purchase of two golden eagle tails. Branson mailed the package filled with the two golden eagle tails through the United States Postal Service and Butler confirmed he received the package on January 4, 2021.
- On January 7, 2021, Butler purchased two golden eagle tail sets from Branson. On the same date, Butler sent Branson $900.
- On March 1, 2021, Butler purchased two golden eagle sets from Branson after Branson sent pictures of the tail sets to Butler.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation.
The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was enacted in 1940 to protect the bald eagle, recognizing that the bald eagle is not merely a bird of biological interest, but this country’s national symbol, which reflects America’s ideals of freedom. In 1962, Congress extended the Act to also protect golden eagles.
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Billings felon sentenced for illegal possession of firearmsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man with a felony conviction for strangulation of a family member who sold multiple guns to undercover agents was sentenced yesterday to 57 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Frank Spencer Marr, 50, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on September 27, 2024, law enforcement conducted an undercover methamphetamine purchase from Marr in Billings. After the drug transaction, he offered to sell investigators a Taurus 9 mm pistol for $300. They agreed to buy the gun, but Marr left and did not return.
Investigators contacted Marr later, who agreed to sell a different pistol to them. A controlled purchase of the pistol took place on January 29, 2025, in Billings. In exchange for $400, Marr sold a Glock model 20, 10 mm pistol.
On February 18, 2025, Marr contacted investigators and said he had an “Italian 9 mm” he would be willing to sell them. The following day, he contacted investigators again to advise he had sold the “Italian 9 mm,” but would be willing to sell them an AR-15; 1,500 rounds of .223 ammunition; and 4 magazines. That same day, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of a Surplus Ammo & Arms model Low 15 semiautomatic rifle and 780 rounds of ammunition.
Marr reached out the following week and claimed he had more firearms to sell. Investigators arranged for the controlled purchase of an Armscor model 1911-A1 FS 9 mm pistol on February 27. An undercover agent picked up Marr at his residence and drove him to an agreed-upon location for the purchase. When they arrived, the agent bought the 1911 from Marr and left the vehicle. Other law enforcement officers on scene converged on the vehicle and arrested him.
During a subsequent interview, Marr admitted to possessing the 1911 pistol he sold to law enforcement for “6 or 7 years.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The ATF, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Red Lodge man pleads guilty to child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Red Lodge man who was under investigation for drugs and was found with images and videos depicting sexually explicit conduct involving children admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Jeremy Dean Ruby, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. Ruby faces 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing has been set for August 26, 2026. Ruby remained detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that from approximately July 2024 through March 2025 law enforcement officers collected information connecting Ruby to the distribution of illegal drugs. As such, on March 20, 2025, a search warrant was executed on Ruby’s residence in connection with a narcotics investigation. His cellular phone was collected.
On or about March 27, 2025, law enforcement searched Ruby’s phone in connection with the drug investigation. During the review, Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) was discovered. The phone contained hundreds of images and videos depicting sexually explicit conduct involving children. The age of the children in the videos ranged from approximately two to 12 years old. Also discovered were search terms indicative of an interest in child pornography, including searches for peer-to-peer applications. Finally, while reviewing jail calls following the search, law enforcement heard Ruby make vague references to electronic evidence he wanted to dispose of.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus is prosecuting the case. The FBI and 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.
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Nursing director sentenced for tampering with drugsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Sand Springs woman who tampered with drugs at a local health care center was sentenced today to 3 years of probation, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Kailyn Marie Smotherman, 35, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of tampering with consumer products.
“When a healthcare professional tampers with medications and diverts controlled substances for personal use, they not only violate federal law but also put patients at serious risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Los Angeles Field Office. “The FDA will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who compromise the safety and security of our healthcare system.”
“The arrest of this medical provider reflects DEA’s unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of the healthcare system and holding accountable those who violate public trust,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Cesar Avila.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on January 19, 2023, Kailyn Marie Smotherman was discovered to have been tampering with controlled substances at the Garfield County Health Center, where she worked. After a search of her office, staff and law enforcement found numerous vials of fentanyl that had been tampered with (caps removed and replaced) or had been emptied. They discovered other controlled substances that had been replaced along with supplies for tampering with the containers of the controlled substances.
The discovery of Smotherman’s conduct occurred when staff had entered her locked office to retrieve a narcotics log. The office was in disarray and had hospital stock narcotics present, an IV pole, tourniquets, needles, IV equipment, replacement vial caps, replacement medication labels, and what appeared to be blood on many surfaces. A search warrant was executed and multiple types of drugs were recovered, in liquid and tablet form, from Smotherman’s desk, floor, trash and filing cabinets. Law enforcement also found items from the pharmacy med room that had been tampered with.
Staff reported being concerned patients may have received saline solution instead of pain medication in the months preceding the search of Smotherman’s office on January 19, 2023.
A forensic chemist with the Food and Drug Administration conducted an analysis of the controlled substance containers confiscated from Smotherman’s office for tampering and/or adulterating of substances and concluded such tampering and adulterating had occurred.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA, FDA and Garfield County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Florence man sentenced to 30 years in prison for producing and receiving images and videos of child pornographyRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Florence man who produced child pornography was sentenced today to 360 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Matthew Ray Tack, 41, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to two counts of production of child pornography, two counts of transfer of obscene material to minors, and one count of receipt of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 14, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Matthew Tack’s residence in Florence and seized several phones and a laptop. Law enforcement searched the laptop and found three videos and 20 pictures which depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Some of the images and videos had creation dates ranging from December 5, 2023, to May 8, 2024, indicating they were received on the laptop on those dates. Several of the file paths indicated that at least some of the images were shared via applications like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Additionally, forensic analysis of the laptop revealed Tack had engaged in chats with minors on an online chat application, largely between 2021 and 2022. The chats included Tack’s solicitation from multiple minors of images and videos that depicted the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Tack consistently urged the minors with whom he was talking to send him sexually explicit images and videos. For example, in a 2021 chat with a minor who indicated they were just entering the 10th grade, Tack told the minor that he wanted “lewd pics” of the child and that “I had hopes that later I could get you to send some.” Tack told the child his sexual interest in her was due (at least in part) to her age, saying “… young and hot, definitely my weakness.”
Beginning on April 20, 2021, and continuing through October 9, 2021, Tack engaged in similar chats on the application with Jane Doe 1. At the time of these chats, Jane Doe 1 was 13 years old. Tack began their chat by immediately asking Jane Doe 1 for a picture. He then sent several shirtless photos of himself and asked Jane Doe 1 “Could you take some?” In total during this conversation, Tack sent Jane Doe 1 two pictures of his penis and Jane Doe 1 sent Tack three images of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct, at Tack’s behest.
Law enforcement located Jane Doe 1 and interviewed her. She confirmed she likely sent the above-described images to Tack and identified herself in some the pictures law enforcement recovered from the records of the conversation described above.
Beginning on September 16, 2021, and continuing through February 19, 2022, Tack also engaged in similar chats on the application with Jane Doe 2. At the time of these chats, Jane Doe 2 was 13 years old. During the conversations, Tack exhorted Jane Doe 2 to send him images of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Tack reassured Jane Doe 2 he would not show the images to anyone because of how “bad” the age difference between them was, and that “…we should not be doing this but we are… I could go to prison.”
Law enforcement located Jane Doe 2 and interviewed her. She identified Tack by picture and confirmed she sent Tack the images of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI, State of Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Glasgow Police Department, and Western Australia Police Force 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.
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Mexican man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Mexican man who is in the United States illegally was sentenced to time served, 59 days, and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Juan Abraham Carranco-Carranco, 30, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on February 23, 2026, Border Patrol agents received information regarding a possible illegal alien traveling in a Chevy Traverse, bearing Texas license plates. Agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle in Hinsdale, Montana, but the driver of the vehicle accelerated rapidly after noticing the agents, exceeding speeds of 100 miles per hour before agents could activate their emergency lights. Due to the vehicle’s high speeds, agents were unable to maintain a visual of the vehicle and nearby law enforcement agencies were notified the vehicle was traveling eastbound on U.S. Highway 2 toward Glasgow, Montana.
Law enforcement stopped the suspect’s vehicle on Highway 2, near Oswego, Montana. There were two occupants inside. The driver was identified by his Honduran passport and issued a warning for speeding. Carranco-Carranco was identified as the passenger and detained.
Carranco-Carranco is suspected of reentering the United States on or about November 1, 2021, near Laredo, Texas. Records checks confirmed he has never applied for or obtained permission from the United States Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.
Carranco-Carranco was first removed from the United States in September 2015 by Expedited Removal through the Laredo, Texas, foot bridge.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Border Patrol, Montana Highway Patrol, and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice 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.
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Browning man sentenced to over 15 years in prison for multiple assaultsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Browning man who over a three-year period separately assaulted 2 different individuals and sexually abused a woman was sentenced today to 188 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
A jury found Kevin James Trombley, 28, guilty of one count of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in October 2025.
A separate jury found him guilty of one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence in March 2026.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial in October 2025 that in June 2022, Trombley and Jane Doe were both at a house party outside Browning at the home of mutual family members. Late that night as the rest of the house slept, and while Doe was trying to make her way to bed, she encountered Trombley in the kitchen. There, he used force against Doe, pushed her into the bathroom, and engaged in non-consensual sex. Doe escaped the bathroom and immediately reported the assault.
Law enforcement officers responded to the scene and interviewed Trombley. He denied having any contact with Jane Doe, then recanted and admitted being in the bathroom with her but only for a moment. He denied having any sexual contact with her.
In July 2023, Jane Doe’s father saw Trombley at a rodeo in Browning, Montana. He approached him and told him something to the effect that he was going to prison for what he did. Trombley assaulted Jane Doe’s father, hitting him so hard he sustained a head injury and required a medical procedure to repair the injuries to his face.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial in March 2026 that John Doe was drinking with friends and family in the late hours of March 22, 2024, and early hours of March 23. Early in the morning on March 23, Trombley and some friends entered the same residence without permission.
Once inside, a fight broke out between Doe, Trombley, and others. After the fight caused damage, the homeowner ordered everyone to leave and grabbed a pellet gun to make her point.
The fight migrated outside into the driveway that abuts the house. Trombley retreated to his truck that was parked on the street. Doe, meanwhile, stood in the driveway. According to witnesses, Doe was unarmed and had his hands up, saying something to the effect of, “What are we going to do?”
At that point, Trombley—who was seated in the driver’s seat of his truck—leaned across the passenger seat and fired a gun through the truck’s window. The shot hit Doe in the abdomen, and he fell to the ground. Trombley fled in his truck. Doe was taken to Blackfeet Community Hospital before he was transferred to Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, where he underwent surgery for injuries to his internal organs. Law enforcement spoke with several witnesses who identified Trombley as the shooter.
Law enforcement went to a residence in search of Trombley. They found him sleeping in a back bedroom, and they found a Smith & Wesson 40 caliber pistol—later confirmed to have been purchased by Trombley—between the box spring and the mattress on which he slept. When Trombley’s truck was later searched, officers found a spent shell casing on the passenger side floorboard. When law enforcement interviewed Trombley, he did not deny being at the party but denied knowing how Doe was shot.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the cases. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Billings man sentenced to over 13 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine was sentenced today to 168 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Vincent Lee Bell, 33, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in August of 2025, law enforcement learned from a confidential source that Bell was distributing pound quantities of methamphetamine in Billings. On August 28, 2024, utilizing a confidential source, law enforcement arranged a purchase of methamphetamine from Bell. Bell sold the confidential source 154.1 grams of actual methamphetamine.
On September 20, 2024, law enforcement conducted a second controlled purchase using a confidential source. Bell sold the source 102.3 grams of actual methamphetamine.
After his arrest, law enforcement searched Bell’s vehicle and seized an additional 582.4 grams of actual methamphetamine.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.
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Billings man appears on charge of carjacking resulting in deathRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man accused of killing Keith Breckenridge while stealing his truck appeared for an arraignment today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Brian Dale Contreraz, 31, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of carjacking resulting in death. If convicted, Contreraz could be imprisoned for life or sentenced to death. He also could be fined up to $250,000 and placed on supervised release for up to three years.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Contreraz was detained pending further proceedings.
The indictment alleges that on or about May 16, 2025, in Billings, Contreraz took a motor vehicle that had been transported, shipped, and received in interstate commerce from Keith Breckenridge by force, violence, and intimidation, with the intent to cause death and serious bodily harm, resulting in the death of Breckenridge.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Rubich and Zeno Baucus are prosecuting the case. The FBI, Billings Police Department, and BIA conducted the investigation.
The charging document is merely as accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. CR 26-46-BLG-SPW.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Helena brothers both sentenced to more than 10 years in prison on drug chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Two brothers from Helena who trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl have been sentenced, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Austin Leon Timothy Hagman, 36, and Michael Wayne Hagman, 40, both pleaded guilty in November 2025 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Austin Hagman was sentenced yesterday to 144 months of imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release. Michael Hagman was sentenced on March 11, 2026, to 136 months of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over both hearings.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement officers were investigating the Hagmans for distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl since November 2024.
Law enforcement intercepted a package containing two pounds of methamphetamine destined for the Hagmans’ residence and developed information from two sources that allowed them to apply for a search warrant for the residence in Helena. Law enforcement located a large quantity of methamphetamine and fentanyl, $39,704 in U.S. Currency, a Zastava Arms Mark X rifle, a Mossberg 464 rifle, an Israel Weapon Industries TAVOR TS12 shotgun, a Stag Arms STAG15 rifle, a Stoeger shotgun, a Winchester 1873 rifle, and miscellaneous ammunition and firearm accessories, including magazines, slings, scopes, and disassembled firearms and cases.
Austin Hagman was interviewed after the search. He told law enforcement he sold fentanyl powder for $200 per gram, methamphetamine for $450 per ounce, and M30s for $10 each. Law enforcement also located $5,000 in U.S. Currency on his person. When asked about the $5,000, Hagman said it was all from that day. He estimated he had purchased approximately 20 ounces of fentanyl powder, 4-5 pounds of meth, and two boats (2000 pills) of fentanyl from his source of supply. He also admitted the package intercepted in December was intended for him.
Michael Hagman was interviewed on March 20, 2025, and told law enforcement he received methamphetamine and fentanyl from a co-conspirator and distributed it in the Helena area. The co-conspirator would sometimes front Michael Hagman drugs to sell. He said he sold fentanyl powder for the same price he paid for it, but he would get a little from the co-conspirator for selling it. He would buy an ounce of methamphetamine for $300, grams of fentanyl powder for $200, and M30s for $5 each. He admitted he would make money from selling the methamphetamine at a higher price than he bought it from the co-conspirator.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force, Helena Police Department, Lewis & Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.
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Roundup man sentenced to 10 years in prison for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in ThailandRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Roundup man who was teaching in Thailand and groomed one of his students to produce sexually explicit material was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Billie Lee Walker, 61, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in May 2024 the father of John Doe, then a 15-year-old boy, disclosed to law enforcement that Walker, who was a teacher at a school in Thailand, had inappropriate communications with John Doe while John Doe was a student at the school.
Walker, a United States citizen, began teaching John Doe around August 2021 and was dismissed from the school around May 2024. John Doe’s electronic media was analyzed. Images of child pornography were recovered, including of John Doe, as well as communications between Doe and Walker. John Doe was forensically interviewed and confirmed several images found on his electronic media. He also outlined how he communicated with individuals he knew online only by their first names and how Walker sent him money for various images John Doe created, including about $30 for a video of Doe masturbating.
On or about May 28, 2024, Walker was interviewed when he entered the United States. He admitted he communicated with John Doe online and had “only seen a few images” of John Doe naked. He also noted that, at least on one occasion, he did pay John Doe for images. Finally, Walker acknowledged creating online personas to communicate with John Doe.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and the Musselshell County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
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Poplar man pleads guilty to sending obscene material to minorRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Poplar man accused of sending obscene pictures and videos to a minor admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Benjamin George Walkingeagle, Sr., 40, pleaded guilty to one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor. Walkingeagle faces 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for August 12, 2026. Walkingeagle was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in October 2023, the FBI investigated Walkingeagle for transferring obscene material to a minor after a 14-year-old female, Jane Doe, reported he was sending her sexual messages. Doe was forensically interviewed and confirmed Walkingeagle sent her pictures and videos over Facebook. She no longer had the messages but provided law enforcement with screenshots. The messages show sexually explicit messages, including what appears to be a picture of male genitalia. The actual image was covered up by the victim, but it is consistent with an image of the genitalia of the photographer. In a 2025 interview with the FBI, Walkingeagle admitted he sent Jane Doe a picture of his genitalia that he took in his bedroom.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Glasgow 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.
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Browning attorney fined $100,000 for making a false statement to federal law enforcementRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Browning lawyer who was found guilty by a jury of making a false statement to law enforcement was sentenced today to serve four years of probation and to pay a $100,000 fine, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Nathan Nicholas Johnson St. Goddard, 45, was convicted by a jury in December 2025 of making a false statement in a sexual abuse investigation.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that on September 10, 2024, St. Goddard was interviewed by law enforcement about an allegation of sexual assault that occurred in June 2024. Law enforcement told him about the investigation and said he matched the description of the man and vehicle that dropped off the alleged victim. In a recorded interview, St. Goddard provided what he represented was a full narrative of his interactions with the alleged victim that night and claimed he only gave a ride to an intoxicated girl, which was a false representation because he knew at that time he had sexual contact with her.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Jury finds Hamilton man guilty of illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Hamilton man who illegally possessed several firearms and ammunition was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Following a one-day trial, Shawn Ryan Cowan, 28, was found guilty of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Cowan faces 15 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for August 26, 2026. Cowan was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that law enforcement officers received information that Cowan was in possession of a firearm. A search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence where law enforcement located the following:
- Ruger SR-22, .22 cal. pistol;
- Raven Arms P25, .25 cal. pistol;
- F.LLI Pietta Fabrica D'Armi, Big Bore Rough Rider, .357 cal. revolver;
- Derya Arms (Derya Silah Sanayi) TM22-A-18, .22 cal. rifle;
- Marlin Firearms Co. 20, .22 cal. rifle;
- High Standard Sentinel, .22 cal. revolver;
- North American Arms NAA22, .22 cal. revolver;
- Smith & Wesson 18, .22 cal. revolver;
- Derya Arms (Derya Silah Sanayi) VRPA40, .12 cal. shotgun;
- Heritage Mfg. Inc. Rough Rider, .22 cal. revolver.
Agents also located various calibers of ammunition.
Cowan was previously convicted of Aggravated Assault in Montana, which is punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Cowan also is required to register as a violent offender for life because he received another felony conviction while required to register. The defendant’s right to possess a firearm was never restored under Montana or federal law.
The defendant admitted to law enforcement that he was “technically a felon,” but stated he owned guns because his conviction was fraudulently obtained by county officials.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office.
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Female duo sentenced for bank fraud and identity theftRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A pair of women from Charlotte, North Carolina who stole identities to withdraw funds from bank accounts have been sentenced, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
April Lynn Turner-Gross, 39, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Yesterday, Turner-Gross was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Kimberly Gail Worden, 41, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. On March 17, 2026, Worden was sentenced to 29 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
The defendants were also ordered to pay $71,300 jointly in restitution.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Turner-Gross and Worden stole identities and fraudulently withdrew funds from customer accounts at banks in Montana. The investigation has identified 18 fraudulent cash withdrawals from 18 customer accounts at ten different financial institutions for a total loss of $71,300.00.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Stack prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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Billings bail bondsman pleads guilty to exchanging bond money for sexRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Billings bail bondsman accused of paying bonds in exchange for sex admitted to charges yesterday, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Louis Christopher Ikeda, 46, pleaded guilty to 1 count of use of facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering. Ikeda faces 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set at a later time. Ikeda was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Ikeda was a licensed surety producer and bail bond agent employed with Northwest Bail Bonds in Billings, Montana.
In November 2024, Jane Doe was incarcerated at YCDF on several criminal cases pending before the State of Montana’s Thirteenth Judicial District Court. To be released from custody on those matters, Jane Doe was required, in pertinent part, to post $10,000.00 bail.
On November 18, 2024, Ikeda initiated a text message conversation with Jane Doe that continued over the course of the following weeks. Their conversation quickly turned sexual, including whenever Jane Doe would bring up the topic of her bail. After initially telling Jane Doe that he could not post her bond because it would be illegal, Ikeda later began discussing different amounts he would accept as payment. These discussions would typically be interjected with sexually explicit messages. Ultimately, Ikeda told Jane Doe he would accept $300 (the amount Northwest Bail Bond would owe its surety company) to post her bail. The conversation then turned sexual in anticipation of her release.
On December 2, 2024, Ikeda posted bail for Jane Doe. After the two left YCDF, Ikeda drove Jane Doe to an area by the river in Billings and they had sexual intercourse. Jane Doe later described feeling pressured into having sex with Ikeda because whenever she talked about being released from jail he would respond by expressing his desire to have sex with her. She also believed the sexual relationship was in exchange for Ikeda accepting a reduced amount to post bond for her release. Jane Doe reported that after she was released from custody, Ikeda instructed her that if anyone asked about their relationship, she should say it was strictly professional.
In total, Ikeda accepted $200 from a third party to post bond for Jane Doe’s $10,000 bail. However, Ikeda deposited a total of $300 in Northwest Bail Bonds’ accounts used to pay its surety. He later admitted he used his own money to make up the difference.
Subsequent to posting Jane Doe’s bond, Ikeda messaged two other female inmates at YCDF. He discussed bail with both inmates and both conversations quickly turned sexual. Ultimately, he posted bond for both inmates for less than the required minimum premium amount. Both women later reported they believed a sexual relationship with Ikeda was expected in exchange for his posting their bond, but both were able to evade him after their respective releases from YCDF.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Vestal and Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations, State of Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation.
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Billings man sentenced to 5 years in prison for sexual abuse on the Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who sexually assaulted a child on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 60 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Matthew Paul Stopsatprettyplaces, 49, was convicted by a jury in December 2025 of abusive sexual contact of a child.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that in 2019, Stopsatprettyplaces gave 9-year-old Jane Doe a ride to a family member’s residence in Hardin. En route, he took advantage of Jane Doe while she was asleep. He first put his hands on Jane Doe’s thighs, which woke her up. But Stopsatprettyplaces continued the assault by putting his hand on her inner thighs and then under her shirt, fondling her bare breasts. On a subsequent occasion at Jane Doe’s house in Hardin, Stopsatprettyplaces again assaulted Jane Doe, ten 10 years old, by kissing her all over and fondling her over her clothes.
Jane Doe disclosed the sexual abuse a few years later to a therapist, who mandatorily reported to the child abuse hotline, which triggered an immediate investigation by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Hendricks and Paul Vestal prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI.
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Hardin man pleads guilty to possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Hardin man accused of possessing child pornography admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Randall Allen Flatlip, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, a $17,000 special assessment, a $5,000 special assessment, and not less than five years to a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy C. Cavan presided. U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set for a later date. Flatlip was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that the government received a tip on July 3, 2022, that someone uploaded a video depicting child pornography to a Google account around June 25, 2022. The email address associated with the account was connected to Flatlip. The subscriber information for the email address included Flatlip’s address in Hardin. When the government searched email accounts associated with Flatlip, they learned several images and videos had been deleted prior to the execution of the warrant. Moreover, law enforcement spoke with an individual that witnessed Flatlip access child pornography on electronic media when living in Hardin.
Flatlip was charged with possession child pornography in Utah in 2016, but was not convicted.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus is prosecuting the case. The FBI and BIA 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.
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Great Falls man sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegal possession of firearmRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who was prohibited from possessing firearms was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
During an October 2025 trial, a jury found Daniel Lee Evenson, 35, guilty of one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that in September 2023, Daniel Lee Evenson, a convicted felon on state supervision, was the suspect of new crimes in the Great Falls area. As part of the investigation, law enforcement searched Evenson’s residence and seized a loaded, 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol from a floor vent in his bedroom. The pistol was stolen from a local vehicle in June 2023. During Evenson’s interview, he acknowledged his prior felony convictions, his prohibition from possessing firearms, and the stolen nature of the 9mm pistol.
Evenson further acknowledged committing two hotel robberies with a BB gun but ultimately denied committing a third robbery. Evenson acknowledged being on probation since around 2017 or 2018. Evenson knew roughly what neighborhood the firearm came from but claimed he did not steal it. When officers showed him a photograph of the 9mm pistol, Evenson acknowledged it was the same firearm found in the vent in his bedroom.
At the time of the offense, Evenson had been convicted of at least three prior offenses for violent felonies.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF, Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Probation and Parole 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.
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Chester man pleads guilty to child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Chester man accused of possessing images and videos depicting child pornography admitted to charges yesterday, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Brandon Wayne Roos, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography which carries the following penalties: a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, and not less than five years to a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston presided. U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set for a later date. Roos was released on conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on September 24, 2023, Brandon Wayne Roos attempted to cross into Montana from Canada at the Sweetgrass Port of Entry. Acting on a tip, officers from Customs and Border Protection's Office of Field Operations (CBP-OFO) seized Roos’ cell phone and searched it, finding several videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The investigation revealed the images were downloaded to Roos’ phone via the Telegram application and officers found a total of 151 images and 49 videos of child pornography. When interviewed, Roos admitted purchasing and downloading child pornography images via Telegram to both his phone and computer at his home in Chester.
Law enforcement traveled to Roos’ home and seized his computer. A forensic examination revealed 50 images and eight videos of child pornography.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations, CBP-OFO, and the Liberty 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.
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Great Falls man sentenced to over 3 years in prison for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 43 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Nicholas Charles Williams, 46, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that between 2021 and March 2025, law enforcement officers investigated a group of individuals suspected of distributing methamphetamine in and around Great Falls. Williams was one of the members of the group. As part of the investigation into Williams, officers conducted three controlled purchases of methamphetamine from him utilizing a confidential informant. On each occasion, the drugs were sent to the DEA Laboratory for testing, which confirmed each of the substances acquired from Williams was methamphetamine.
On July 9, 2024, officers interviewed Williams and he admitted to selling methamphetamine between 2021 and late June 2024.
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. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Jeff Starnes prosecuted the case. The Russell Country Drug Task Force and DEA conducted the investigation as part of the HSTF.
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California man appears on fraud chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A California man accused of scamming money and gold from his victim appeared for an arraignment yesterday, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Lingwei Yang, 24, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. If convicted of the most serious charge, Yang faces 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Yang was detained pending further proceedings.
Count one of the indictment alleges that beginning in or about October 2025 and continuing thereafter until at least February 20, 2026, at Missoula, Yang knowingly and unlawfully conspired with others to commit the offense of wire fraud.
Count two of the indictment alleges that beginning in or about October 2025 and thereafter until at least February 20, 2026, at Missoula, Yang, having devised and intending to devise a material scheme and artifice to defraud, and for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice, and attempting to do so, knowingly transmitted and caused to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate and foreign commerce, writings, signs, signals, pictures, and sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Stack is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. CR 26-17-M-DLC.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Wyoming man sentenced to over 9 years in prison for drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Wyoming man with prior felony convictions who was found in possession of drugs and guns on two separate occasions was sentenced today to 118 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Kristofer Mikal Wright, 38, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on March 20, 2024, Wright had an active warrant for his arrest by Wyoming probation. He was also being investigated for distributing drugs. He was located by the U.S. Marshals Service in Billings and arrested. Wright had been surveilled driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee to a storage unit, so law enforcement searched the vehicle and seized two loaded firearms, ammunition, and 35.2 grams of methamphetamine.
About two months later, on May 31, 2024, Wright was again in Billings with an active warrant for his arrest on his Wyoming case. Law enforcement saw him in the Jeep at a local motel and watched him as he drove around Billings. He parked at a residence and the U.S. Marshals prepared to effect an arrest, but Wright came out of the house and got back in his Jeep. The officers tried to pin Wright’s vehicle to prevent him from leaving but he ignored their commands, started the car, and tried to escape by ramming a broken-down van parked in front of him on the street. He also tried to back into a marked police vehicle. Law enforcement ultimately fired non-lethal, bean bag, shotgun rounds to break Wright’s windows and get him to surrender.
When officers subsequently searched Wright’s Jeep, they found two firearms, ammunition, 253.7 grams of actual methamphetamine, and 90.8 grams of fentanyl.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. The ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.
Dodson man sentenced to over 5 years in prison for various assaults on Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Dodson man who violently assaulted several victims on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 64 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
James “Jimmy” Has The Eagle, Jr., 41, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of aggravated burglary, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of domestic assault by a habitual offender.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on July 17, 2024, Jane Doe 1 and Has The Eagle caught a ride to a residence in Lodgepole. Has The Eagle started getting angry at Jane Doe 1 and started beating on her in the vehicle. When they got close to the house, he pushed Jane Doe 1 out of the moving truck and into the street.
Jane Doe 1 ran away to hide around the corner of the house, but Has The Eagle found her. He punched her several times, pushed her down on the ground, and then kicked her in the face with his black fire boots. She lost consciousness after the first kick. When she later regained consciousness, she went into the house and locked the door. Has The Eagle tried to get inside a few minutes later, eventually kicking the door in. Jane Doe 1 tried to hide, but he found her in the bathroom closet. As he was screaming that he would kill her, Has The Eagle wrapped a yellow extension cord around Jane Doe 1’s neck and was strangling her. He was screaming with the cord wrapped around both of their necks, yelling that he was going to kill both himself and her.
Medical records identify that Jane Doe 1 had bruising to her bilateral temples and forehead, with significant swelling to the left cheek and bruising under her left eye with diffuse tenderness to palpation of her face. The records note there were numerous bruises to Jane Doe 1’s extremities, as well as ligature marks to her anterior neck and bruising on the posterior neck to the left of midline.
About a week before the assault of Jane Doe 1, Has The Eagle violently assaulted Jane Doe 2, and their child, Jane Doe 3, in a vehicle on their way to Hays on July 11, 2024. During the drive, he demanded to stop at a house of a known drug user. Jane Doe 2 said no, angering Has The Eagle. Jane Doe 3 began to argue with him and threw a can at him. He flew into a rage and he forcibly grabbed Jane Doe 3, pulling her into the seat with him where he began punching her in the face with his fist.
Jane Doe 2 pulled the vehicle over and Has The Eagle dragged Jane Doe 3 across the pavement. Jane Doe 2 went to help Jane Doe 3, but when she opened the door, he hit her in the eye, face, head, and shoulder/upper arm with tire chains. Jane Doe 2 stated it “knocked [her] for a loop” and she felt dizzy. She expressed still feeling the effects of the assault in September, nearly two months later. Jane Doe 3 suffered black eyes and scraping on her arms from when she was dragged out of the vehicle.
Prior to the assaults of Jane Does 1, 2 and 3, Has The Eagle had been convicted of at least four domestic assaults. Specifically, he was convicted in 2007 of a misdemeanor Partner Family Member Assault (PFMA) before the Havre City Court, and a second misdemeanor PFMA before the Hill County Justice Court. He was also convicted of Abuse of a Family Member before the Fort Belknap Tribal Court in 2021, as well as Elder Abuse and Assault in 2021 before the Fort Belknap Tribal Court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Myers prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Jury finds Browning man guilty of assault on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Browning man who shot an individual on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was found guilty by a federal jury today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Following a one-and-a-half-day trial, Kevin James Trombley, 28, was found guilty of one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence. Trombley faces mandatory minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for April 23, 2026. Trombley remained detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that John Doe was drinking with friends and family in the late hours of March 22, 2024, and early hours of March 23. Early in the morning on March 23, Trombley and some friends entered the same residence without permission.
Once inside, a fight ensued among Doe, Trombley, and others. After the fight caused damage, the homeowner declared everyone needed to leave, and grabbed a pellet gun to make her point.
The fight migrated outside into the driveway that abuts the house. Doe, meanwhile, stood in the driveway. According to witnesses, Doe was unarmed and had his hands up, saying something to the effect of, “What are we going to do?”
At that point, Trombley—who was seated in the driver’s seat of his truck—leaned across the passenger seat—and fired a gun through the truck’s window. The shot hit Doe in the abdomen, and he fell to the ground. Trombley then fled in his truck. Doe was taken to Blackfeet Community Hospital before he was transferred to Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, where he underwent surgery for injuries to his internal organs. Law enforcement spoke with several witnesses who identified Trombley as the shooter.
Law enforcement went to a residence in search of Trombley. They found him sleeping in a back bedroom, and they found a Smith & Wesson 40 caliber pistol—later confirmed to have been purchased by Trombley—between the box spring and the mattress on which he slept. When Trombley’s truck was later searched, officers found a spent shell casing on the passenger side floorboard. When law enforcement interviewed Trombley, he did not deny being at the party but denied knowing how Doe was shot.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.
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Billings man sentenced to over 3 years in prison for illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who was prohibited from owning firearms was sentenced today to 41 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Andre Lamar Alexander, 19, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He is prohibited based on a conviction for felony escape in Montana’s Thirteenth Judicial District Court in April 2025.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on August 3, 2025, law enforcement officers responded to a Billings residence after receiving a report that a male suspect had threatened to shoot a teenage female, Jane Doe. Doe said Alexander messaged her, demanding that she return some of his belongings. When Doe arrived at her house, she saw Alexander sitting in a vehicle. He got out of the car holding a pistol and threatened her, saying “You’re so lucky I don’t just shoot you up right now” and “If the cops get involved it’s going to be way worse.” Doe showed the officers messages Alexander sent to her that night, which contained repeated threats to shoot her.
Other responding officers located the vehicle parked nearby and ordered the occupants to exit. Alexander was sitting in the front passenger seat. As he got out, the officers observed a black backpack on the floor at his feet. When they searched Alexander’s bag, the officers seized a black, privately-made Geisler model 19X .40 caliber pistol, two standard magazines, one extended .40 caliber magazine, and Alexander’s wallet.
Alexander later admitted in phone calls from the jail he owned a second gun – a “Glock 17” – that he successfully concealed from the arresting officers. Investigators identified that firearm as a Glock model 17, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine with 39 rounds of 9 mm ammunition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The ATF and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Mexican man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Mexican man who reentered the United States illegally was sentenced today to 18 months incarceration and 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Baldemar Duarte-Nieto, 47, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of illegal reentry.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on July 26, 2025, Duarte-Nieto was found by law enforcement in Kalispell after a short vehicle and foot pursuit. The pursuit reached 80 mph in a residential neighborhood and Duarte-Nieto struck a Toyota Camry filled with four people. A K-9 was deployed to apprehend him. Duarte-Nieto had an arrest warrant from Washington for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance – heroin.
Duarte-Nieto was first removed from the United States in 1996 or 1997, in 2000, and then a week later with a 20-year bar. He was last removed from the United States in November 2021 after an extensive hearing with an Immigration Judge because he used an assumed identity for approximately 20 years.
Duarte-Nieto’s prior convictions include:
- 1996 assault with a weapon in Pacific County, Washington;
- 2002 carjacking in Claremont, California;
- 2006 conspiracy/bringing a controlled dangerous substance into a prison in Susanville, California; and
- 2012 false statements in the Western District of Washington.
There are no records within the Department of Homeland Security that Duarte-Nieto ever applied for readmission into the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations, Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office 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.
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