District of Montana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Hays woman pleads guilty to assault on Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Hays woman accused of an assault on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Alta Rose Chandler, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Chandler faces up to 10 years in prison, a $100,000 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 is set for May 14, 2026. Chandler was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on the evening of September 29, 2023, Chandler and Heavenlee Sears were driving around on the Fort Belknap reservation and drinking beer. Late in the night, the two went to a bar to buy more alcohol before driving to John Doe’s home.
When Chandler and Sears arrived at Doe’s house, they were highly intoxicated, and they beat him. Sears hit Doe multiple times on the head with a peppermint schnapps bottle. Chandler hit Doe with her fists after he had fallen to the ground.
Around 6:00 a.m. on September 30, Sears called a family member to say something was wrong with Doe. Family arrived and found Chandler trying to clean up blood on the floor. According to the witness, Chandler rubbed some of the blood on her arm and said, “I did this. I mean, my dad did this.” Witnesses saw a glass peppermint schnapps bottle at the scene.
Doe was taken to Fort Belknap Indian Health Services. He was unresponsive and breathing erratically. After he was intubated, Doe was life flighted to a higher level of care. On October 18, 2023, Doe was admitted to the Long-Term Care Hospital in Billings, Montana. He was diagnosed with traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage. Doe was largely unresponsive to stimuli and completely nonverbal due to his traumatic brain injury. Doe died on December 11, 2023.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Great Falls man sentenced to over 18 years in prison on methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who trafficked methamphetamine was sentenced today to 220 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Michael Lee Wakeford, 62, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of money laundering.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement learned defendant Mike Wakeford was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine in Great Falls and elsewhere between approximately late 2019 or early 2020 through at least January 2021. Wakeford obtained methamphetamine from a source of supply in Arizona for redistribution in Montana. In approximately late 2021 or early 2022, Wakeford introduced his brother, Daniel Wakeford, to his source of supply in Arizona. During this trip, the Wakefords acquired between five and 10 pounds of methamphetamine that they later transported to and sold in Montana.
Law enforcement spoke with numerous individuals who received methamphetamine from Mike Wakeford between approximately 2020 and 2021. In November 2024, an informant disclosed that he/she met Wakeford at a pre-release center in Great Falls in 2020 and began to work with him to distribute methamphetamine. The informant said Wakeford would provide the informant methamphetamine to re-sell and to use. The first time, Wakeford gave the informant approximately two ounces of methamphetamine, but it eventually evolved to Wakeford providing the informant pound-quantities of methamphetamine. This informant stated Wakeford made numerous trips to Arizona to resupply.
In January 2021, a second informant disclosed he/she met Wakeford when they were in prison together in 2020. Upon release, the informant received methamphetamine from Wakeford for use and resale on approximately eight occasions. The informant estimated he/she received approximately two pounds of methamphetamine from Wakeford.
Wakeford has several prior convictions for drug offenses, including a conviction in the United States District Court for the District of Montana for Aiding and Abetting Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.
In January 2024, Wakeford purchased a car through an intermediary from a car dealer in Great Falls for $10,099 in cash. The funds used to purchase the car were proceeds from the crime of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Starnes and Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The Russell Country Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
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Women sentenced for methamphetamine trafficking in the Billings areaRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – Two women who trafficked methamphetamine were sentenced this week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Jenny Olivia Denny, 43, of Dodson, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She was sentenced to 48 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Mona Bonita Gonzalez, 44, of Billings, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She was sentenced to 60 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
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, and Montana, including Billings.
On August 2, 2023, law enforcement officers served a search warrant at a Billings hotel room rented by Gonzalez. Law enforcement seized approximately 2.77 pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement determined in addition to the 2.77 pounds found, there were additional amounts of methamphetamine given to individuals in Billings for redistribution, including two pounds to Jenny Denny.
On August 3, 2023, agents served a search warrant at a home where Denny and two other women lived. Agents seized eight ounces of meth and $2,660 in cash.
Both defendants' phones were analyzed by law enforcement. Messages between Denny and a co-conspirator/supplier of meth, who is located in Mexico, were reviewed. In one message Denny’s supplier asked her if she was ready for another pound yet, and Denny responded that she was still waiting on money. Other messages indicate Denny was distributing meth in the Billings area. Gonzalez’s two phones showed messages between Gonzales and a co-conspirator/supplier of meth who is located in Mexico where Gonzales asked about more drugs and the supplier indicated the drugs were on the way.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force 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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Billings woman sentenced to over 11 years in prison on methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Billings woman who trafficked methamphetamine was sentenced yesterday to 136 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Raven Michelle Volkomener, 43, pleaded guilty in August 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 on May 4, 2024, law enforcement received reports of a car driving erratically south towards Billings on Highway 87. Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) identified the vehicle roughly five miles from Billings, observed it commit a traffic infraction, and pulled it over.
Law enforcement asked the driver to step out of the car and she was identified as Volkomener. She had an outstanding felony arrest warrant. She was taken into custody and that same day law enforcement, pursuant to a search warrant, searched the vehicle. Among other items discovered in the vehicle were four packages of suspected methamphetamine located in a backpack in the back seat. The methamphetamine was later analyzed and found to contain over 1,700 grams of pure meth.
Law enforcement also obtained a search warrant for the Volkomener’s cell phone and found text messages from at least February 2023 to May 4, 2024, between Volkomener and a co-defendant talking about a trip by Volkomener to Great Falls in May 2024 to collect methamphetamine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Starnes and Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The Montana Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Montana Department of Criminal Investigations 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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Previous sex offender sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempted coercion and child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A previous sex offender from Billings who attempted to obtain nude photos from a person he thought was 12 years old was sentenced today to a total of 324 months in prison to be followed by lifetime supervised release. supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Steven Dwyane Scott, 51, was found guilty at a September 2025 trial of one count of attempted coercion and enticement and one count of possession of child pornography. Mr. Scott was also ordered to pay a total of $17,200 in special assessments.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that in March 2024, law enforcement, acting in an undercover capacity and posing as a 12-year-old juvenile female, electronically reached out to Scott on Facebook. Scott accepted the invite and the two parties began conversing. The communications eventually transitioned to KIK.
The communications lasted from roughly March 7, 2024, until May 28, 2024. During the chats, Scott was put on notice of the “child’s” age, indicated he should not be talking to her yet continued, and sought pictures of her, including nude pictures. On May 21, 2024, Scott sent the “child” images of a gift card and payment for possible nude images from her. Scott provided instructions to the undercover officer as to the best way to verify money was on the card. Thereafter, on May 27, 2024, Scott sent a $25 Amazon gift card to the “child,” again for the purpose of obtaining images from the child. The last communication law enforcement received from Scott was on May 28, 2024.
When law enforcement reached out to Scott, he was a registered sex offender following a 1997 conviction for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota.
Several years before the conduct in this case, in 2018, Scott corresponded with multiple juvenile females online. One of those children was Jane Doe 1. A law enforcement investigation stemming from Jane Doe 1’s disclosure led to a search warrant of Scott’s Snapchat account and the discovery of his interest in juvenile females. Sexually explicit images of a different victim, Jane Doe 2, were discovered on Scott’s Snapchat account.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Montana Department of Criminal Investigations, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office and the Townsend, Massachusetts Police Department.
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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East Helena man sentenced to prison for illegal possession of guns and ammunitionRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – An East Helena man who possessed guns and ammunition illegally was sentenced today to 28 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Justin Curtis Huckaby, 44, was found guilty at a September 2025 trial of two counts 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 Huckaby was convicted of a felony in the Montana Thirteenth Judicial District on June 5, 2019. He was sentenced to a period of custody of up to 15 years, with 5 years suspended, followed by a period of supervision with the Department of Corrections. Huckaby’s judgment set out the conditions of his supervision, which included a prohibition of “using, owning, possession, transferring, or controlling any firearm, [or] ammunition….” That condition was also read to Huckaby in open court.
On June 13, 2023, Huckaby signed the Firearms and Voting Regulations form, which states:
“I further understand that my right to possess or own firearms or ammunition is suspended while under supervision. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing or receiving firearms or ammunition [Title 18, United States Code Section 922(g)(1)]. Therefore, I understand I could be prosecuted for a violation of Federal law. I also understand that I could be punished for violating my conditions of supervision AND federally prosecuted.”
That same day, Huckaby signed his conditions of probation and parole. Condition 15 states: “Weapons: I will not use, own, possess, transfer, or be in control of any firearms, ammunition (including black powder), or weapons.”
On August 5, 2024, around 4 a.m., law enforcement officers responded to a casino in East Helena, Montana. Officers were informed Huckaby was at the casino and had drugs and a firearm in his vehicle. Upon arrival, law enforcement contacted Huckaby who was in the driver’s seat of his white Chevrolet pickup parked outside the casino. Huckaby confirmed he was on parole but denied there was anything his truck that would violate his conditions of supervision. During contact with Huckaby, law enforcement saw a glass pipe with burnt residue on the center console. The pipe later field tested positive for methamphetamine. A probation search was authorized and performed on the vehicle.
During the search, officers found a loaded 9mm handgun under the driver’s rear passenger seat. It was loaded with 9mm caliber ammunition. A box of 9mm caliber ammunition was also located in a backpack. Huckaby later admitted to touching and handling the firearm earlier that day.
Huckaby also threatened to shoot an individual after he suspected the individual took his 8-ball of methamphetamine and money that he won at other casinos that evening.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, and the State of Montana Probation and Parole.
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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North Carolina man sentenced to 5 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl on college campusRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A North Carolina man who distributed fentanyl at MSU Northern was sentenced today to 60 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Joel Hadley, III, 23, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in the summer of 2022, law enforcement received information that Joel Hadley III, a football player, was trafficking fentanyl from student housing on the campus of Montana State University - Northern (MSU-N) in Havre. Reporting indicated Hadley was selling large amounts of fentanyl to Native Americans from the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation and Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.
Several controlled purchases of fentanyl pills were conducted using a confidential source. In each instance, the source communicated with Hadley to set up a purchase. Law enforcement equipped the source with a controlled monitoring device and prerecorded funds.
A federal search warrant for Hadley’s residence was granted and executed in September 2023. Law enforcement seized a firearm and loaded magazine, a plastic bag containing fentanyl, and $861 in U.S. currency.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Myers prosecuted the case. The FBI, DEA, U.S. Border Patrol and Tri-Agency Task Force conducted the investigation.
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Helena man sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Helena man who possessed a firearm illegally was sentenced today to 180 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Chaz Dean Cox, 29, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in April 2019, Chaz Dean Cox was convicted of multiple felony counts of burglary and drug possession in Lewis and Clark County. Because of his convictions, the defendant was prohibited from owning, possessing, transferring or controlling any firearm or ammunition.
On March 31, 2024, law enforcement officers were on patrol in Helena and saw Cox and his co-defendant accessing the interior of a vehicle. Cox was taken into custody based on active arrest warrants. Officers seized the involved vehicle based on plain view observations related to suspected drug possession.
On April 1, 2024, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant on the vehicle. Items seized from the vehicle included a loaded 7.62x25mm caliber pistol.
In a law enforcement interview, Cox denied possessing the firearm. His co-defendant was interviewed and admitted concocting a lie with Cox about who possessed the gun to prevent Cox from getting into trouble. The co-defendant was not responsible for getting the gun, and it belonged to Cox. The first time the co-defendant saw the gun was the night before Cox was arrested and Cox was worried about getting caught with the gun.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Helena Police Department, and State of Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation.
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California woman sentenced for attempted smuggling of illegal individualRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A California woman who attempted to smuggle a citizen of Great Britain into the United States was sentenced today to 6 months of probation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Tracy Routh Lautenslager, 54, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of conspiracy to bring aliens into the United States at a location other than a designated port of entry.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on April 1, 2025, a vehicle entered the United States through the Roosville, Montana Port of Entry. The vehicle was operated by the Lautenslager, a United States citizen. She was admitted to the United States and proceeded to the Swisher Lake area near Lake Koocanusa. The United States Border Patrol encountered her driving around the area.
Around that same time, the Border Patrol was alerted to a lone male walking across the international boundary line from Canada to the United States. They responded and searched for the man but were unable to locate him and believed he returned to Canada.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) apprehended the man after they found him walking around and seemingly lost. They escorted him to the Roosville, British Columbia (BC) Port of Entry to be identified and processed. The man, Lautenslager’s husband, was identified as a citizen of Great Britain who does not have any lawful status in the United States.
On suspicions of smuggling, Lautenslager was denied entry back to Canada and returned to the United States, where she was interviewed by law enforcement. She disclosed she and her husband planned to circumvent the immigration process and avoid the point of entry because he did not have legal status in the United States. She said the plan was to drop him off at a location on the Canadian side of the border, drive into the United States, and then pick him up. She admitted what she attempted to do was wrong.
Lautenslager’s cellular phone was collected and searched. The phone contained text messages between her and her husband discussing logistics as the conspiracy was unfolding.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Stack prosecuted the case. The U.S. Border Patrol 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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Bigfork man sentenced to over 3 years in prison for cyberstalkingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Bigfork man who threatened and harassed his victim through text messages was sentenced today to 46 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Jeremiah Daniel Starr, 25, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of cyberstalking.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
“Protecting victims from harassment and stalking in this highly technical age is a growing concern, particularly in cases like this, where the defendant caused emotional distress to the victim for many years and even discharged a firearm at one point as part of his elaborate ruse. I want to thank the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and staff in our office, and our partners at the FBI, for their hard work on this case.” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
“The defendant exploited the anonymity of the internet to harass and intimidate the victim, inflicting lasting fear and emotional harm,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Gerken of the FBI Billings Field Office. “This case reflects the FBI’s extensive and persistent investigative efforts to protect the victim and hold the offender fully accountable.”
The government alleged in court documents that Jane Doe received threatening and harassing text messages from an unknown sender for almost three years. The culprit was not a stranger. Rather, it was Jane Doe’s “best friend,” Jeremiah Starr. When sending the messages by his cellular telephone, Starr masked his identity by using more than 50 unique phone numbers and a NordVPN, which required the FBI to analyze over 1,100 distinct IP addresses.
On February 9, 2025, Starr used a firearm during the offense. Jane Doe was sleeping, and Starr pretended to “return” fire at individuals Starr alleged shot into Jane Doe’s apartment. None of that was true. Instead, Starr used a firearm to shoot rounds into the apartment and shot rounds outside the apartment as well. Starr lied about the shooting to harass Jane Doe and make her continue to think she was in danger. Jane Doe told investigators Starr’s harassment was unbearable and caused her significant emotional distress.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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Wolf Point man appears on murder chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Wolf Point man accused of murdering a man by arson on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was arraigned yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Anthony David Flynn, 35, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with felony murder and arson. If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, Flynn faces mandatory life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston presided. Flynn was detained pending further proceedings.
Count 1 of the indictment alleges that on or about September 28, 2024, at and near Wolf Point, Flynn unlawfully and with malice aforethought killed John Doe, by smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, in the perpetration of arson.
Count 2 of the indictment alleges that on or about September 28, 2024, at and near Wolf Point, Flynn willfully and maliciously set fire to and burned a structure at 200 1st Ave. S. in Wolf Point.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office, and State of Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-116.
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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Man Charged with Operating Online Marketplaces Selling Fraudulent Montana Driver’s Licenses and Other Identity Documents Used by CybercriminalsRead the Press Release
BOZEMAN – The operator of illegal online marketplaces that sold digital templates of false identity documents, such as passports, social security cards, and driver’s licenses, was charged in a nine-count federal indictment unsealed in the District of Montana today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The United States also announced that it seized three of the marketplace domains used for selling fraudulent identity documents around the world.
Zahid Hasan, 29, of Dhaka, Bangladesh, is charged with six counts of transfer of false identification documents, two counts of false use of a passport, and one count of social security fraud. If convicted of transferring false identification documents or false use of a passport, as charged in counts 1 through 8, Hasan faces up to 15 years of imprisonment on each count. Social security fraud, as charged in count 9, carries a maximum sentence of 5 years. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release.
The indictment alleges that from at least 2021 through 2025, Hasan operated multiple online businesses based out of Bangladesh, named “TechTreek” and “EGiftCardStoreBD.” These websites electronically sold and transferred digital versions of false government-issued identity and other documents, including U.S. passports, U.S. social security cards, and Montana driver’s licenses. The false identity documents were the types commonly used to create fraudulent online accounts at banks, online processors, social media sites, and digital currency platforms. Customers to these marketplaces could use virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin, to purchase a U.S. passport template for the equivalent of $12, a U.S. social security card for $9.37, and a Montana driver’s license for $14.05. Over a four-year period of operation, Hasan is alleged to have received more than $2.9 million through sales on TechTreek from more than 1,400 customers located around the world.
On May 13, 2025, Hasan accepted Bitcoin payments through TechTreek and EGiftCardStoreBD from an individual in Bozeman, Montana and then transferred or attempted to transfer fraudulent templates of U.S. passports, U.S. social security cards, and Montana driver’s licenses to that individual.
As part of its investigation, the United States seized three domains operated by Hasan to further his fraudulent documents businesses: www.techtreek.com; www.egiftcardstorebd.com; and www.idtempl.com. Visitors to these sites now receive the following message:
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Hargrove is prosecuting the case. The FBI’s Billings Division and Salt Lake City Cyber Task Force conducted the investigation in coordination with FBI’s International Operations Division and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Department’s Counterterrorism and Transnational Crime Unit.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-44.
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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Billings woman sentenced to 10 years in prison on methamphetamine and fentanyl chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings woman who distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to 120 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Tori Lee Hutzenbieler, 46, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in May 2023, law enforcements officers learned from a source of information that Tori Hutzenbieler was selling drugs in the Billings area. The source said Hutzenbieler concealed drugs in a trap compartment inside her Toyota Camry. Law enforcement learned through electronic surveillance that Hutzenbieler, using the Camry, frequented a storage unit at odd hours and then drove around town making several stops.
A search warrant was executed on Hutzenbieler’s residence where fentanyl pills were located under her mattress and $3,919 in cash was found in the bedroom. Four vehicles at Hutzenbieler’s residence were also searched and a trap compartment was located inside the Camry. Law enforcement searched a Buick used by Hutzenbieler and located and seized a bag of methamphetamine and several fentanyl pills from the trunk.
Additionally, law enforcement executed a search of Hutzenbieler’s storage unit where methamphetamine and fentanyl pills were located inside a red cooler.
Hutzenbieler’s cell phone had several text messages related to drug transactions and a photograph of her holding a plastic bag containing a large amount of methamphetamine.
In total, Hutzenbieler was found in possession of 393.5 grams of methamphetamine and 1,007 fentanyl pills.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten prosecuted the case. The DEA and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
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Nursing director pleads guilty to tampering with drugsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Sand Springs woman accused of tampering with drugs at a local health care center admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Kailyn Marie Smotherman, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with consumer products. Smotherman faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. District Court Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for April 15, 2026. Smotherman remains released with conditions pending further proceedings.
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 in Jordan, Montana, where she worked as the Director of Nursing. Staff at the facility entered Smotherman’s locked office to retrieve a narcotics log and noticed several suspicious items, including hospital stock narcotics, an IV pole, tourniquets, needles, IV equipment, replacement vial caps, replacement medication labels, and what appeared to be blood on many surfaces. During a subsequent search of the office, staff and law enforcement found numerous vials of fentanyl that had been tampered with (caps removed and replaced) or had been emptied. They also discovered other controlled substances that had been replaced.
Staff reported concerns patients may have received saline solution instead of pain medication in the months preceding the incident.
A forensic chemist with the Food and Drug Administration conducted an analysis of the containers confiscated from Smotherman’s office and concluded the controlled substances had been tampered with and adulterated.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The DEA, FDA and Garfield County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Mexican man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Mexican man who was in the United States illegally was sentenced yesterday to time served, 31 days, and remanded to the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Marco Antonio Contreras-Delira, 40, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on November 14, 2025, law enforcement encountered three individuals in a vehicle near Froid, Montana, including Contreras-Delira. The individuals presented Mexican identifications and admitted they were in the United States illegally.
Contreras-Delira was transported to the Plentywood, Montana, Border Patrol Station for processing. Record checks confirmed he had been issued several final orders of removal and had been removed from the United States on one prior occasion.
On December 28, 2007, Contreras-Delira was given a final order of removal and removed in December 2009. He had an active warrant at the time of his arrest in 2007. After paying his fine, authorities released him and he absconded to Texas where he was eventually arrested. Record checks revealed Contreras-Delira was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol on February 1, 2004, in Bartow County, Georgia.
On November 14, 2025, Border Patrol agents interviewed Contreras-Delira. He confirmed he is a Mexican national and citizen and has no documents to enter or remain in the United States. There is no indication in the files of Department of Homeland Security Contreras-Delira ever applied for or obtained the permission of the Homeland Security to reenter the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Border Patrol and Roosevelt 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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Federal employee pleads guilty to selling drugs on the Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Harlem man and federal employee accused of selling methamphetamine on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges on Tuesday, December 9, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Jess Louis Brockie, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Brockie faces 20 years of imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release.
The government alleged in court documents that in July 2024, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General became aware of allegations a federal employee working at the Indian Health Services (“IHS”) in Harlem was selling controlled substances out of the facility. The employee was identified as the defendant, Jess Louis Brockie, who worked as a custodian at IHS. While being monitored by the investigating agencies, a confidential source purchased methamphetamine from Brockie after meeting at the IHS facility on August 19 and September 19, 2024.
Sentencing will be held on April 1, 2026.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Vestal is prosecuting the case. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, BIA, DEA, and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Billings man sentenced to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who distributed methamphetamine in Billings was sentenced today to 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Stetson Claude Nash McBride, 30, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement learned from a confidential informant McBride was offering to purchase methamphetamine on the Dark Web. As such, on February 21, 2024, the CI learned he/she could provide McBride $500 and acquire meth. The CI was provided with buy money, and a body wire was installed. The CI traveled to McBride’s residence. On the wire, McBride can be heard telling the CI he would provide a tracking number once he got one.
On March 11, 2024, the CI contacted law enforcement and said the package should be there today. Law enforcement learned several packages had been located going to McBride’s address. Law enforcement collected them and wrote a search warrant for one of the packages. On March 13, 2024, law enforcement opened the package pursuant to the warrant and discovered roughly 142 grams of a clear substance inside a sealed bag.
McBride’s phone was collected as part of the investigation and, pursuant to a search warrant, reviewed for evidence. Numerous messages indicative of drug dealing activity between January and March 2024 were discovered. Moreover, the suspected drugs identified above were tested and found to contain roughly 98 grams of actual methamphetamine. Also, discovered on McBride’s cellular phone were images of child sex abuse material.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, and United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Shelby woman sentenced for attempting to harbor illegal aliensRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Shelby woman who attempted to harbor illegal aliens was sentenced yesterday to 3 months in prison to be followed by 2 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Kristin Louise Mitchell, 41, was found guilty at trial of one count of attempted harboring of illegal aliens.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on February 21, 2025, a Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) officer encountered individuals during a traffic stop in Gallatin County. The stop was predicated on the vehicle displaying fictitious plates. The MHP officer cited the driver for the license plate violation and released the vehicle. On February 25, 2025, a Sweetgrass Station Border Patrol Agent ran a registration check on a temporary Montana vehicle tag in Shelby that came back to the same vehicle cited in the February 21 stop.
On March 4, 2025, Border Patrol Agents observed Mitchell driving the same vehicle with two male occupants. Deputies from the Toole County Sheriff’s Office also saw Mitchell driving the car and conducted a traffic stop when the car failed to stop at an intersection. Mitchell was driving and told the deputies the two men with her were political asylees and did not speak English. The deputies contacted Border Patrol for assistance.
A Border Patrol agent responded to the call and recognized Mitchell due to a prior encounter at the northern border. The agent attempted to speak with the two passengers in English and then in Spanish. When the agent asked the men about their citizenship, Mitchell answered for them and claimed they were political asylees from Venezuela. She also referred to one of the individuals as her boyfriend. Neither of the men could produce any documents to verify their status.
The three occupants of the vehicle, including Mitchell, were detained and taken to the Sweetgrass Border Patrol Station. Record checks on the other passengers revealed their identities as citizens of Venezuela, and neither had a record of being legally admitted into the country. Mitchell is a United States citizen and has two prior convictions for immigration offenses.
Meanwhile, while the traffic stop was ongoing, other Border Patrol officers surveilling Mitchell’s home saw a third man outside the house; this man matched a description of one of the men encountered during the February 21 MHP stop in Gallatin County. He was detained and admitted he had been previously removed from the United States. Border Patrol determined this individual as a citizen of Honduras.
One of the individuals was deposed in April 2025 and testified he was working on a commercial construction site near Bozeman for a man who refused to pay them, leaving him stranded. One of the Venezuelans knew Mitchell and they decided to drive to Shelby to stay with her. En route to Shelby, the men stopped at a Walmart and bought bottles of margaritas. They were stopped in East Helena and the driver was arrested for DUI. Mitchell was contacted and drove from Shelby to East Helena to bail the driver out of jail and collect the car, which was released to her. The three aliens then stayed with Mitchell at her home in Shelby for a few days before they were arrested.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol, Montana Highway Patrol and Toole County Sheriff’s Office.
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Mexican men sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Two Mexican men who entered the United States illegally were each sentenced yesterday to 39 days in prison, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Victor Manuel Uribe Luna, 35, and David Suarez-Olivera, 45, each pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on November 2, 2025, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop off U.S. Highway 2 near Malta. The vehicle contained three individuals, only two of whom initially presented identification.
The driver was identified as Victor Manuel Uribe Luna and he presented a California Driver’s License as identification. Two passengers were also present in the vehicle, one of whom was identified as Suarez-Olivera. All three subjects were found to be present in the country illegally.
A records check found that Uribe Luna was formally removed from the United States on January 13, 2021, and he does not have legal documentation to enter, pass through, or remain in the United States.
A records check found that Suarez-Olivera was formally removed from the United States on January 26, 2006, and is likewise prohibited from re-entering the country.
During processing, both defendants acknowledged being citizens and nationals of Mexico without legal documentation to enter, pass through, or remain in the United States. They further acknowledged crossing the international boundary illegally without inspection by an Immigration Officer at a designated Port of Entry.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. 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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Mexican man from Billings sentenced for illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Mexican man illegally living in Billings was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Javier Vidal Rico, 42, pleaded guilty 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 December 25, 2024, at approximately midnight, deputies from the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office received a report that an unknown subject had brandished a firearm at a Christmas party on Lewis Avenue in Billings. The caller advised that the subject had been disarmed by another partygoer, but was threatening to return. The responding deputies interviewed John and Jane Doe, who said an unknown male had come to the Christmas party earlier that night and started an argument with John Doe. Jane Doe observed the subject withdraw a teal pistol from his waistband during the argument and point it at John Doe’s stomach. Jane Doe said John wrestled the pistol away from the subject, who fled the scene. John Doe gave the gun, a teal SCCY 9mm pistol, to the deputies.
John Doe further advised the subject left in a black Cadillac Escalade and that he had thrown a rock through one of the vehicle’s windows. The deputies found a black Escalade parked outside Rico’s residence with a shattered driver’s window and a “Rico Construction” decal on the back window. Deputies confirmed Rico lived at the address but were unable to contact him that night.
Deputies returned to the residence the next day to speak with Rico. He admitted he had been at the Christmas party the night before and left around midnight. He acknowledged the Escalade belonged to him and that someone had broken the window while he was driving it. He consented to a search of his residence, which revealed 23 live 9 mm rounds and 3 live .25 rounds on a shelf in Rico’s closet. Deputies also seized a SCCY pistol magazine loaded with 9 mm ammunition and a nylon gun holster.
The deputies arrested Rico and during the booking process he said he was a citizen of Mexico. He admitted he paid a coyote to transport him to the United States illegally in 2021 and advised he lived in Missouri before coming to Montana. Investigators later confirmed Ric was a citizen of Mexico who had been removed from the United States in 2014 and had been given a lifetime ban on reentry. Rico did not obtain consent from the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security before entering the United States in 2021.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the ATF 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Man sentenced for being an accessory after the factRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A man who attempted to clean up a murder scene on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 70 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. He was also ordered to pay over $11,771.00 in restitution.
William Robert Jay Howe, Jr., 41, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of accessory after the fact.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on January 18, 2023, a gunshot victim was driven to the emergency room in Crow Agency, Montana. The driver initially lied to law enforcement about where the victim was found. Some days later, law enforcement learned the location of the shooting. After obtaining a federal search warrant for the SD card from exterior security cameras from a residence in the area, law enforcement discovered footage of the victim being picked up and put in the vehicle used to drive him to the emergency room. The camera footage shows Howe and another individual cleaning the snow-covered area where the victim had been lying moments earlier by moving snow with a shovel, broom, hands, and feet. The footage also appears to show Howe and another male picking up one or more items from the snow-covered area. And it shows Howe ostensibly taking an item from the crime scene and walking across the street with it.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation.
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Mexican man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A man from Mexico who was in the United States illegally was sentenced today to time served – 200 days in custody – to be followed by one year of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Eduardo Heriberto Mendoza-Almanza, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Mendoza-Almanza was arrested on April 6, 2025, in Belgrade, Montana, after an officer stopped him for driving with no license plate light after dark. He was identified with his Mexico driver’s license. His driving privileges were suspended in Montana and revoked in New Mexico. He also had numerous active warrants. He was arrested for driving without a license.
Mendoza-Almanza has been removed from the U.S. on eight prior occasions:
- March 6, 2006
- February 2, 2007
- February 22, 2007
- February 25, 2007
- May 11, 2007
- January 11, 2008
- June 18, 2011
- September 5, 2023
He was convicted previously of felony illegal reentry in Montana on March 15, 2023. He was sentenced to time served and removed. There is no record he applied for or was granted permission by the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to return to the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Jury finds Billings man guilty of child 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 found guilty by a federal jury today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Following a 1.5-day trial, Matthew Paul Stopsatprettyplaces, 49, was found guilty of abusive sexual contact of a child. Stopsatprettyplaces faces up to life in prison, 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 April 8, 2026.
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. While on the way, he took advantage of Jane Doe while she was asleep. He first put his hands on Jane Doe’s thighs which woke Jane Doe up. But Stopsatprettyplaces continued the assault by putting his hand on her inner thighs and then under Jane Doe’s shirt and fondling her bare breasts. On a subsequent occasion at Jane Doe’s house in Hardin, Stopsatprettyplaces assaulted 10-year-old Jane Doe again 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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Washington man sentenced to 11 years in prison on drug chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Washington man who possessed fentanyl was sentenced today to 135 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Skyler Christian Crowder, 31, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement officers responded to a call of a fentanyl pill found in a motel room in Missoula on October 7, 2024. The occupant, Skyler Crowder, had requested to move to a new room and the pill was located when the room was cleaned. They also reported Crowder had taken out his own trash when he switched rooms, which they thought was odd. Law enforcement located two vacuum-seal bags (one with a remnant of a blue pill) and drug paraphernalia in the outside garbage. Law enforcement reviewed surveillance and saw approximately 12 different people visited Crowder over 24 hours. Several appeared to be under the influence. The activity was consistent with individuals purchasing illegal drugs.
Law enforcement contacted Crowder in his new room. After obtaining a search warrant, deputies located methamphetamine, fentanyl pills and firearms.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force and the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Michigan Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crimes in West Virginia and MontanaRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jardan Donaldson, 37, of Mount Clemens, Michigan, was sentenced on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 4, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence on the 1400 block of Quarrier Street in Charleston, West Virginia. Officers seized approximately 14.1 pounds of methamphetamine during the search. As part of his guilty plea, Donaldson admitted that he intended to assist in the distribution of the seized methamphetamine within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Donaldson further admitted that he assisted in preparing methamphetamine for distribution at the residence the day before officers executed the search warrant. Donaldson also admitted that he intended to assist in the distribution of additional quantities of fentanyl and metonitazene, a synthetic opioid, seized by law enforcement officers as a result of this investigation.
On July 24, 2024, a law enforcement officer in McCone County, Montana, conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Donaldson was a passenger. The officer encountered Donaldson laying across the rear floorboard of the vehicle on top of multiple bags of methamphetamine. The officer arrested Donaldson after determining he was the subject of an arrest warrant issued in the Southern District of West Virginia. The officer also obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and seized approximately 6.9 pounds of methamphetamine. An investigation revealed that Donaldson distributed controlled substances at the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana. As part of his plea agreement, Donaldson admitted to possessing the seized methamphetamine and consented to the disposition of the Montana offense in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Donaldson’s West Virginia co-defendant Justin Saunders, 28, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 21, 2026.
“This office, in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office in Montana, put a dangerous drug trafficker exactly where he belongs – behind bars,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of his crimes, and we will continue to pursue the harshest lawful penalties for anybody who seeks to inflict such damage on our communities. We are not backing down – this work continues.”
Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the Montana Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum and former Assistant United States Samuel D. Marsh prosecuted the case in coordination with Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey A. Sabol of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-32 in the Southern District of West Virginia and 1:24-cr-153 in the District of Montana.
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Box Elder man arraigned on robbery chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man accused of being involved in a robbery on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was arraigned earlier this week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Gordon George Denny, Jr., 30, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit robbery. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, the defendant faces 5 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston presided. The defendant was detained pending further proceedings.
Count 1 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, Denny and others knowingly conspired to commit a robbery.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-118.
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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Billings doctor sentenced to two years of probation for arranging commercial sexRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who previously pleaded guilty to using a cell phone to arrange for commercial sex was sentenced today to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $100,000, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Usman Hanif Khan, 52, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to one count of use of a facility of interstate commerce to aid in racketeering.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that prior to April 9, 2023, Khan met a woman on a social media website for those interested in a commercial sex relationship. Then, on or about April 9, 2023, Khan communicated with the woman for the purpose of arranging a commercial sex date with Jane Doe, who the woman represented was an adult but was actually a minor. Khan and the woman communicated via text messenger, utilized cell phones to make arrangements, and discussed, among other items, the particulars of the commercial sex date. On the evening of April 9, 2023, the woman transported Jane Doe to Khan’s residence for the purpose of a commercial sex date. Khan and Jane Doe engaged in a sex act, after which Khan contacted the woman to arrange transportation of Jane Doe and provided Jane Doe with money for the encounter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Texas man pleads guilty to trafficking bald and golden eaglesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA - A Texas man accused of trafficking eagles admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, John Patrick Butler, 71, pleaded guilty 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. Butler faces up to 5 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Court Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for April 7, 2026. Butler was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
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 to 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Tanner and Ryan Weldon 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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Jury finds Lame Deer man guilty of assaulting federal officers on the Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Lame Deer man who assaulted federal officers on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Following a one-and-a-half-day trial, Caleb Raymond Carter, 39, was found guilty of two counts of assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, and one count of use of a firearm during or in relation to a crime of violence. Carter faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release for the assaults and a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, consecutive to the sentence imposed for the assaults, a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release for the firearm charge.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set for a later date. Carter will remain detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial John Does 1 and 2 are federal law enforcement officers employed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. On the date of the alleged offense, both were in uniform and were working their scheduled shifts on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.
On May 2, 2025, John Doe 1 responded to a 911 call in Lame Deer. The caller, Jane Doe, advised Carter was drunk and was yelling at her mother, causing her to fear for her mother’s safety. By the time Doe 1 responded, the disturbance had subsided. Doe 1 contacted Jane Doe and her brother and confirmed they were safe. He instructed Jane Doe to call 911 again if there were any other issues. He cleared the residence.
Later the same day, Jane Doe called 911 again to report Carter had woken up and was “yelling around.” Again, Jane Doe expressed concern for her family’s physical safety. She also advised Carter may be armed with a firearm. John Does 1 and 2 responded to the residence in separate, marked patrol vehicles. Both officers activated their emergency lights and parked at the northeast corner of the property.
They approached a camper trailer on the property that Carter had been using as a bedroom but no one responded to their knock on the door or their announcement that they were BIA police.
John Doe 1 proceeded to the nearby residence and was greeted at the door by Jane Doe’s brother. As he was speaking with the brother, Doe 1 heard a loud bang that he immediately recognized as a gunshot. Both Doe 1 and Doe 2 drew their duty weapons and retreated from the door. They advised dispatch that shots had been fired and commanded the occupants of the camper to exit. Eventually, Carter and his wife emerged from the trailer with their hands raised and both were taken into custody.
Law enforcement searched and photographed the camper trailer, noting a hole in the door consistent with a gun shot. They seized a 20-gauge shotgun in an overheard cabinet across from the door of the camper and observed a spent shell casing stuck inside the chamber. They also located and seized a box of 20-gauge ammunition from a kitchen cabinet.
During an interview with law enforcement, Carter claimed he had had “issues” with law enforcement entering onto the property in the past, and had posted a “No Trespassing” sign on the gate in an effort to deter them from doing so. He admitted he watched John Doe 1 access the property the first time and said he locked a gate after the officer left.
Carter also said he had been sitting inside for approximately five minutes when the officers arrived for the second time. He claimed he saw the camper “light up,” and then heard a knock at his door, followed by the sound of someone trying to open it. By that point, “it was too late:” Carter had retrieved his shotgun and pointed it at the door. He said the gun accidentally discharged when he pointed it at the door.
An FBI analyst examined the firearm and determined it functioned normally and would not have discharged when handled in the manner described by Carter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the BIA.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Belgrade woman pleads guilty to harboring illegal individualsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA - A Belgrade woman accused of harboring illegal individuals admitted to charges yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Eustolia Casarreal-Morales, 56, pleaded guilty to harboring illegal aliens. Casarreal-Morales faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release for each illegal alien involved in the offense.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Court Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for April 8, 2026, in Missoula, Montana. Casarreal-Morales was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in 2023, law enforcement debriefed two sources who described how they were smuggled into the United States from Mexico. Once here, these individuals explained they were eventually smuggled to Montana and provided jobs. They identified individuals in the Bozeman area who were involved in their smuggling. The investigation revealed Casarreal-Morales was in contact with at least one of the key smugglers identified by the sources of information listed above.
Beginning in May 2025 law enforcement identified a residence in Belgrade suspected of housing illegal aliens. Through investigative steps, law enforcement secured a search warrant for the residence and executed it on August 12, 2025. Twelve individuals who were in the United States illegally were discovered inside the residence, as was Casarreal-Morales. Also discovered were payments ledgers, false identification documents, and documents relating to Casarreal-Morales, and other materials. Casarreal-Morales provided a brief statement at the scene, indicating she was aware the individuals in the house were not legally in the United States and that was wrong.
Some of the 12 individuals were interviewed. They explained how, depending on the individual, they initially entered the United States through a proper visa that since expired or were smuggled into the United States. They outlined how they were then smuggled or made their way to the residence in Belgrade for the purpose of securing work. They indicated they paid monthly rent to Casarreal-Morales to live at that house.
Additional interviews outlined how the individuals came to the United States and ended up working in the Belgrade area while paying Casarreal-Morales rent. At least two of those witnesses indicated Casarreal-Morales knew the smuggler referenced above. Critically, three of those witnesses also outlined how she sold them fake identification documents.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Border Patrol 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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Poplar man sentenced to over 5 years in prison for aggravated sexual abuse on Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Poplar man who previously pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 68 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Chucho Cruzito Garfield, 40, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to one count of aggravated sexual abuse.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on June 14, 2022, law enforcement responded to a report of drunk juveniles fighting at a residence in Poplar, Montana. When the officers arrived, one of them talked with Jane Doe’s brother who told the officer Doe was inside the home. He claimed Garfield held a knife to Doe’s throat and prevented her from leaving a backroom of the house.
An officer saw Doe inside the house, was familiar with her from previous interactions, and was aware that the Fort Peck Tribal Court had issued a “pick up and hold” for her. After confirming with dispatch that the “pick up and hold” for Doe was still active, the officer went into the house and arrested Doe. Garfield was also arrested after Doe reported he had given her a black eye the day before—and a bruise was visible beneath her eye—and he had prevented her from leaving the house by holding a knife to her throat.
Ultimately, Doe reported Garfield walked her from her house to his house on June 14. While outside the house, Doe’s brother confronted Garfield about the black eye. Garfield grabbed Doe by her arm and jerked her inside the house. Doe told Garfield she wanted to go home, but Garfield told Doe she had to have sex with him and let him slap her around before she could go home. Garfield then forced Doe to perform oral sex on him, and he held a black pocketknife to her throat and chest during the assault.
Garfield initially denied striking or sexually abused Doe but eventually admitted Doe was telling the truth: he had forced her to perform oral sex on him.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice conducted the investigation.
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Individuals arraigned on murder chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - Two individuals accused of murdering a man on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation were arraigned yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Levi Terrance Olson, 29, and Brandon Lee Weaselboy, 30, both of Box Elder, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging both defendants with conspiracy, attempted robbery, attempted aggravated burglary, second-degree murder, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, the defendants face life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston presided. Both defendants were detained pending further proceedings.
Count 1 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, the defendants knowingly conspired, confederated, and agreed with each other to commit offenses against the United States of America—namely, robbery.
Count 2 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, the defendants, by force and violence, and by intimidation, attempted to take from the person and presence of another something of value—that is, the defendants used firearms to threaten and assault multiple persons.
Count 3 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, the defendants knowingly entered and remained unlawfully in an occupied structure on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, and did so with the purpose to commit another offense therein—the robbery—and in the course of committing the offense were armed with weapons and did purposely and knowingly inflict bodily injury on another, and aided and abetted the same.
Count 4 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, the defendants unlawfully and with malice aforethought, that is recklessly with extreme disregard for human life, killed John Doe, and aided and abetted the same.
Count 5 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, the defendants knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence that may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, namely second-degree murder, affecting commerce as charged in Count 4 of the indictment.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-118.
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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Hays woman pleads guilty to assault on Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Hays woman accused of an assault on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Heavenlee Drewann Sears, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Sears faces a term of imprisonment of 10 years, 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 March 12, 2026. Sears was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on the evening of September 29, 2023, the defendant and a co-defendant were driving around on the Fort Belknap reservation and drinking beer. Late in the night, the two went to a bar to buy more alcohol before driving to John Doe’s home.
When Sears and her co-defendant arrived at Doe’s house, they were highly intoxicated, and they beat him. Sears hit him multiple times on the head with a peppermint schnapps bottle. Around 6:00 a.m. on September 30, Sears called a family member to say something was wrong with Doe. While they waited for the family member to arrive, Sears analyzed the bloody footprints around Doe and realized she had made the prints. Sears also called 911.
Doe was taken to Fort Belknap Indian Health Services. He was unresponsive and breathing erratically. His admission records state his ears and face were bruised and swollen, his nose was lacerated, his upper lip was lacerated, and there was a human bite mark on his forehead. There were also bite marks to his left wrist and left upper chest. After he was intubated, Doe was life flighted to a higher level of care.
On September 30, 2023, Sears spoke to law enforcement. She reported Doe was drinking earlier with a friend. Sears first told law enforcement she blacked out and when she “came to,” she found Doe on the ground, with lots of blood around him and blood coming out of his mouth. She told law enforcement she called a family member and then called 911. Sears said she didn’t remember what happened to Doe.
When officers told her it seemed like she remembered more than she said she did Sears started to cry. She said she “probably” hit him because she was drunk and has a temper. Sears said she thought she might have hit Doe with the empty peppermint schnapps bottle. When asked if she hit him, she nodded. When asked if she hit him with the bottle, she again nodded. Sears did not know how many times she hit Doe, but she hit him more than once. The second time she hit him, Doe fell to the ground.
On October 18, 2023, Doe was admitted to the Long-Term Care Hospital in Billings, Montana. He was diagnosed with traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage. Doe was largely unresponsive to stimuli and completely nonverbal due to his traumatic brain injury. Doe died on December 11, 2023.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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New Jersey man sentenced to more than 8 months in prison for sexual assault on airplaneRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A New Jersey man who sexually assaulted another passenger while flying from Bozeman, Montana to Dallas, Texas was sentenced today to more than 8 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, 40, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of abusive sexual contact in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Shukla, an Indian citizen, likely will be deported to India following his release from custody.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on January 26, 2025, Shukla was flying from Bozeman to Dallas on American Airlines. He was seated next to Jane Doe and Doe’s daughter. Jane Doe had a coat on her lap because she was cold. Shukla also placed his coat on his lap and initially acted as if he was sleeping but began using his right hand to rub Jane Doe’s left leg near her pocket on her hip. Jane Doe initially thought Shukla was trying to pick her pocket, so she and her daughter got up and went to the restroom to diffuse the situation.
Shukla continued rubbing Jane Doe’s inner and outer thigh throughout the flight. Doe was scared and firmly told him to “stop touching me.” Shukla said he was sorry and attempted to offer her something out of his bag. He also tried to talk to Jane Doe’s daughter, and Doe responded, “she’s fine. Don’t talk to my daughter.” As the flight continued, the plane hit some turbulence, and the flight crew remained seated. Shukla continued to rub Jane Doe’s thigh and, frightened, she turned her back to him, at which point he started rubbing her lower back and buttocks.
A witness seated in the row behind Shukla and Jane Doe confirmed that Shukla inappropriately touched Jane Doe for a large portion of the flight.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI, ICE, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Police conducted the investigation.
Mexican man pleads guilty to illegal reentryRead the Press Release
MISSOULA - A Mexican man accused of being in the United States illegally admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Baldemar Duarte-Nieto, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry. Duarte-Nieto faces a term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $100,000 fine, and 3 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 was set for March 13, 2026. Duarte-Nieto was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on June 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Martin City man sentenced to 40 years in prison for producing and distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Martin City man who produced and distributed child pornography was sentenced today to 480 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Raymond Owen Bonner, 40, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in August 2024, an FBI undercover agent was operating in online applications known for trafficking in child sexual abuse material. The agent found that a user had posted messages to a chat room in one such application in June 2024 and July 2024 stating that user had access to a six-year-old girl (Jane Doe) and was sexually abusing that child. The user, later identified as Bonner, posted images and videos of his abuse that verified his hands-on access to Doe. Bonner told other users in the chat room he was Doe’s babysitter.
Investigators responded to Bonner’s address in Martin City on September 5, 2024. Bonner fled his residence prior to law enforcement’s arrival. In a home near Bonner’s residence, FBI agents located Jane Doe. Doe and others verified that Bonner was her babysitter and later identified Bonner as the person abusing her in the images and videos he had distributed. The FBI also seized several devices from Bonner’s home, including a cell phone.
The FBI searched the phone and found images and videos of Doe that were the same as the images and videos of Doe posted by Bonner to the chat room. Bonner was located by law enforcement and arrested on September 19, 2024.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and the Northwest Montana Drug Task 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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Jury finds Seeley Lake woman guilty of gun chargeRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Seeley Lake woman who purchased a firearm for a prohibited person was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Following a one-day trial, Alyssa Mikkel Tsuber, 32, was found guilty of one count of false statement during a firearm transaction. Tsuber faces a potential term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and 3 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 was set for March 20, 2026. Tsuber was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that an individual who was prohibited from owning a firearm reported that Alyssa Tsuber purchased a firearm for him.
Law enforcement interviewed Tsuber about the firearms. Tsuber advised she purchased a firearm for the prohibited person with his money. During the interview, law enforcement told Tsuber she marked that she was the actual buyer on the Firearms Transaction Record. She said, “I bought it, but no.” Law enforcement clarified, “You paid for it, but it wasn’t for you.” She said, “Right.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Clinton man sentenced to 2 years in prison on drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Clinton man who possessed fentanyl and methamphetamine and illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced today to 24 months in prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Francis Levi Kelsey, 40, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and 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 June 14, 2021, while conducting a stolen vehicle investigation, law enforcement in Park County, Montana encountered Kelsey driving a 2003 Chevy. Investigation led to a search of the vehicle and officers seized a Coca-Cola can on the driver’s seat containing 75 fentanyl pills and 22.4 grams of actual methamphetamine. The officers also found a firearm and ammunition in a void under the center console of the vehicle.
The defendant’s cellular phone was also recovered, and a search warrant was obtained for the phone. On the phone were various text messages in which Kelsey arranged the sale of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
On June 15, 2021, Kelsey made a recorded jail call and instructed an individual to get to the void under the center console of the vehicle, unaware law enforcement had already located the firearm inside.
Kelsey is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a previous state felony conviction.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. The ATF, DEA, Park County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Billings man sentenced to 9 years in prison for child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who distributed child pornography was sentenced today to 108 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Kole David Kuntz, 41, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to two counts of distribution of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on November 16, 2024, law enforcement created an undercover online persona on a social media site posing as an adult male with a minor daughter. Soon after establishing the account, another account, later attributed to Kuntz, reached out and inquired about the fictious daughter.
The conversations became increasingly sexual. For example, when Kuntz learned the “daughter” was 12 years old, he indicated he “could have a lot of fun with her.”
On November 21, 2024, Kuntz recommended they switch to a more secure application and both parties did so. Then, to ensure he was “serious,” Kuntz sent a roughly 45-second video of a female, between the ages of 12 and 14, removing her swimsuit and exposing her vagina to the camera. On November 22, 2024, and after additional communications during which Kuntz indicated that “6-14 is the money range I think,” he distributed a roughly 56-second video of a minor female performing oral sex on an adult.
Law enforcement connected the communications to Kuntz and searched his residence in Billings. A subsequent review of his electronic media led to the discovery of the communications referenced above as well as the possession of additional child pornography.
Kuntz was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted he was the individual referenced in the communications he had previously shared images and videos.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Billings woman arraigned on murder and gun charges on the Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Billings woman accused of killing an individual on the Crow Indian Reservation appeared today for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Dameka Rose American Horse, 26, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging her with one count of second-degree murder and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted of the most serious crime charged in the indictment, American Horse faces life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan presided. American Horse was detained pending further proceedings.
Count 1 of the indictment alleges that on or about November 22, 2024, near Pryor, the defendant unlawfully and with malice aforethought, that is deliberately and intentionally, killed John Doe, and aided and abetted the same.
Count 2 of the indictment alleges that on or about November 22, 2024, near Pryor, the defendant knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence that may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, namely second-degree murder, as charged in count 1 of the indictment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Hendricks is prosecuting the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-135.
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 citizen and load coordinator for Sinaloa Cartel sentenced for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Darin Smith announced that Gabriel Seth Rodgers, 26, who had been residing in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment with 10 years of supervised release to follow for charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. The court ordered Rodgers to pay $5,000 in community restitution. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Nov. 3, in Cheyenne.
According to court records, Rodgers was coordinating shipments of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to multiple regions in the United States, including Wyoming. Rodgers was identified as a “load coordinator” for the Sinaloa Cartel. Rodgers was previously convicted for stealing firearms. Upon being released from custody after a revocation of his supervised release on that conviction, he absconded and began dealing significant amounts of controlled substances. In May of 2023, Rodgers fled to Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico where he continued to be a “load coordinator” for the Sinaloa Cartel until his arrest.
Through the use of undercover agents, confidential informants, and other investigative means, agents were able to prove Rodgers coordinated shipments of controlled substances to the United States totaling approximately 200 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 40 pounds of fentanyl, and approximately 11 pounds of cocaine. Rodgers would regularly coordinate the shipment of 20-50 pounds of methamphetamine and 10,000 fentanyl pills at a time. The investigation resulted in the federal prosecution of five of Rodgers’s co-conspirators in Wyoming and others in Montana.
A complaint was filed in Wyoming on May 20, 2024, charging Rodgers with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and four counts of distribution of fentanyl. On March 20, 2025, in the District of Montana, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Rodgers with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. In a coordinated effort with Mexican authorities, Rodgers was arrested on March 27 in Mexico and deported to the United States.
The Montana indictment was subsequently transferred to Wyoming. On August 18, Rodgers waived indictment in the Wyoming case and pleaded guilty to all counts charged in both the Wyoming and Montana cases. The Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Z. Seth Griswold and Cameron J. Cook of Wyoming and Julie Patten and Bryan Dake of Montana prosecuted the crime.
“The defendant brought large amounts of dangerous drugs into Montana and Wyoming—and then hid behind the cloak of the Sinaloa Cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. “Stopping Mexican cartels from poisoning our communities with fentanyl and other narcotics is a top priority of this office and our law enforcement partners. This lengthy sentence demonstrates that our Criminal Division remains relentless in its pursuit of drug traffickers who profit at the expense of the American people.”
“Montana is hundreds of miles from the southern border. When cartel members and other drug traffickers travel here to peddle their poison into our communities, they can expect to be caught and to go to prison for a long time. I want to thank the prosecutors and staff in our office, our strong partners at these investigative agencies, and our colleagues in the Wyoming U.S. Attorney’s Office for their good work investigating and prosecuting this case,” Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
“The sentencing properly reflects the significant role Rodgers had in trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl into Montana and Wyoming via his contacts with the Sinaloa Cartel. The combination of the great work and relentless efforts of investigators and prosecutors ensured that Rodgers was held accountable for his criminal conduct,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge David Olesky.
“Through our joint enforcement efforts, we’ve dismantled a criminal organization that posed a direct threat to the safety and stability of various communities,” said Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “This sentencing is a result of a coordinated effort of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to keep fentanyl and other drugs out of our communities.”
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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Case No. 25-CR-00098
Drug Take Back Day Sites Available to Tribal CommunitiesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — According to a 2023 study by the Montana Office of Public Instruction, 17% of Native American high school students report using a prescription medication without a prescription. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day can help.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana joins the Drug Enforcement Administration in support of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 25. The biannual event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at sites across Montana, including Native American reservations. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous, expired, and unused prescription drugs.
Medicines that languish in homes are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses from these drugs.
“It’s imperative that we protect Montana’s youth from opioid misuse and addiction, especially our Native American youth. More than one in six will use an opioid not prescribed to them. We encourage members of our reservation communities to take advantage of Drug Take Back Day by cleaning out their medicine cabinets. It’s a quick and easy way to help make our communities safer,” U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
“Every year, residents in our Division and around the country turn in thousands of pounds of unneeded, unwanted, or expired medications,” said DEA RMFD Special Agent in Charge David Olesky. “This simple action can help prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce the potential for accidental overdoses and poisonings.”
Numerous sheriff’s offices, police departments and federal agencies across Montana are participating in Take Back Day. Information about collection sites and more information about the event is available here: https://www.dea.gov/takebackday.
Montana also offers year-round collection at many locations, including pharmacies, hospitals, and health centers, which can be found at these two websites: https://dphhs.mt.gov/BHDD/SubstanceAbuse/dropboxlocations, and https://www.dea.gov/everyday-takeback-day. Many of the year-round collection locations are in or near Montana’s reservation communities, including the IHS hospital in Browning, the Rocky Boy Health Center in Box Elder, the Milk River Pharmacy in Harlem, Northeast Montana Health Service in Poplar and Wolf Point, the Bighorn Valley Pharmacy in Hardin, the US Public Health Service in Lodge Grass, the PHS Indian Health Center in Lame Deer, and several locations in Ronan, Polson, and St. Ignatius.
During the last Take Back Day held on April 26, 2025, 4,472 law enforcement participants at 4,590 collection sites across the country brought in a total weight of 620,321 pounds, or 310 tons, of drugs. This brings the total weight collected to 19.8 million pounds, or more than 9,910 tons, of prescription drugs collected in the history of the program. Collection results may include materials other than prescription drugs.
During the April 2025 event, Montanans turned in 1,229 pounds of prescription drugs at 20 collection sites. Nineteen law enforcement agencies participated. Total all time weight collected in Montana is 59,506 pounds.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 25 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day set for October 25, 2025Read the Press Release
BILLINGS — 13.5% of Montana high school youth report using a prescription medication without a prescription, according to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey by the Montana Office of Public Instruction. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day narrows this gateway to opioid addiction.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana joins the Drug Enforcement Administration in support of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 25. The biannual event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at sites across Montana. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous, expired, and unused prescription drugs.
Medicines that languish in homes are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses from these drugs.
“We all know unused prescriptions, particularly opioids, pose a danger to Montanans, especially to children. We encourage everyone to participate in the DEA’s Drug Take Back Day by cleaning out their medicine cabinets. It’s a quick and easy way to help make our communities safer,” U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Numerous sheriff’s offices, police departments and federal agencies across Montana are participating in Take Back Day. Information about collection sites and more information about the event is available here: https://www.dea.gov/takebackday. Montana also offers year-round collection at many locations, including pharmacies, hospitals, and health centers, which can be found at these two websites: https://dphhs.mt.gov/BHDD/SubstanceAbuse/dropboxlocations, and https://www.dea.gov/everyday-takeback-day.
During the last Take Back Day held on April 26, 2025, 4,472 law enforcement participants at 4,590 collection sites across the country brought in a total weight of 620,321 pounds, or 310 tons, of drugs. This brings the total weight collected to 19.8 million pounds, or more than 9,910 tons, of prescription drugs collected in the history of the program. Collection results may include materials other than prescription drugs.
During the April 2025 event, Montanans turned in 1,229 pounds of prescription drugs at 20 collection sites. Nineteen law enforcement agencies participated. Total all time weight collected in Montana is 59,506 pounds.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 25 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.
Wolf Point man pleads guilty to assault charges on the Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Wolf Point man accused of stabbing an individual on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted to charges yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Lawrence George Fast Horse, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of domestic assault by habitual offender. Fast Horse faces 5 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 has been set for January 29, 2025. Fast Horse was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on August 2, 2024, Lawrence George Fast Horse stabbed Jane Doe in Poplar. Law enforcement officers responded to the scene and observed a stab wound on Jane Doe’s upper back. An officer searched Fast Horse at the scene and located a knife with brass knuckles attached to it in his right-side shorts pocket.
A witness provided a verbal and written statement to law enforcement. The witness advised that Fast Horse and Jane Doe were arguing, and Fast Horse pushed Jane Doe from behind. The witness saw Fast Horse attempt to conceal a blade behind his back. Fast Horse was arrested and subsequently transported to the Fort Peck Adult Correctional Facility. Jane Doe was taken to Poplar Community Hospital where she was treated for three stab wounds.
Fast Horse has been convicted of at least 5 prior domestic assaults between 2008 and 2020.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice conducted the investigation.
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Mexican man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Mexican man who was in the United States illegally was sentenced yesterday to a term of time-served and remanded to the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Leobardo Ricardo Torres-Torres, 38, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Torres-Torres was removed from the United States in November 2016 and never obtained permission to return. On March 24, 2025, he was found in Havre, Montana when Border Patrol agents approached a vehicle registered to a person illegally present in the United States in the Walmart parking lot. An agent asked Torres-Torres if he owned the vehicle, and he admitted he did. He said was working construction in the area, was originally from Mexico, and had no documents that permitted him to enter or remain in the United States.
Torres-Torres’s immigration files show he applied for U.S. citizenship in 2002 but presented a fraudulent birth certificate with his application. He was allowed to withdraw the application and return to Mexico. In July 2009, Torres-Torres was found in Arizona and ordered removed after an arrest in Maricopa County for driving while intoxicated. In July 2010, Border Patrol agents found Torres-Torres, again in Arizona. He was convicted of illegal entry, a misdemeanor, sentenced to 30 days in prison, and removed from the United States. In August 2016, Border Patrol agents in Naco, Arizona, found Torres-Torres. He was again convicted of illegal entry, sentenced to 75 days in prison, and again removed from the United States. When he was arrested in Havre in March 2025, Torres-Torres told the Border Patrol he reentered the U.S. in November 2017, near El Paso, Texas.
The United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Border Patrol.
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Wolf Point man sentenced to 4 years in prison for multiple assaults on the Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Wolf Point man who assaulted two individuals on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Philip Ray Azure, 22, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The first incident occurred on March 16, 2023, when Azure went to John Doe’s residence in Wolf Point, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Azure and John Doe were friends and were drinking alcohol together. Azure became intoxicated and was asked to leave for being too loud. A family member of Doe’s, who also lives in the home, started to walk Azure out. As he was leaving, Azure struck the family member. John Doe confronted Azure about hitting his family member. Azure pulled out a knife and stabbed Doe in the chest and then turned and walked away without saying anything.
Doe was rushed to the hospital for treatment of his serious injuries and later airlifted to Billings for surgery. After surgery to repair his lung, Doe spent a week in the hospital.
The second incident happened on January 27, 2024. Azure and several friends, including two co-defendants, and the victim, John Doe 2, were in a yard in Wolf Point, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, playing a game of “slap-boxing.” The fighting escalated and eventually the group separated. Azure and his co-defendants returned home, and John Doe 2 arrived a short time later asking for his phone. Azure and his co-defendants exited the home and confronted Doe 2 in the driveway.
Several people witnessed the assault. One witness described seeing Azure and his co-defendants hitting John Doe 2 and saw someone using a bat and someone else using a hammer. A second witness saw Azure and his two co-defendants approach Doe 2 while he backed away and said all three “jumped” Doe 2. That witness saw Azure use a bat during the assault.
Doe 2 died at the scene before law enforcement arrived. According to an autopsy, he died from blunt and sharp force injuries to the head and chest, including a stab wound to the chest that perforated Doe 2’s sternum, heart, and esophagus.
Azure was arrested the day after the second assault. He initially claimed he wasn’t there when Doe 2 was assaulted. He later admitted he was involved but didn’t remember the details because he was intoxicated. He claimed Doe 2 had a big knife and he ultimately hit Doe 2 with a bat to stop him from using the knife. None of the other witnesses reported seeing Doe 2 with a knife.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice, and Wolf Point Police Department conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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Poplar man sentenced to more than 4 years in prison for sexual abuse of a minorRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Poplar man who sexually abused a minor was sentenced today to 54 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Jonathan Robert Walking Eagle, 23, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on January 24 and 25, 2023, Walking Eagle, then 20 years old, sexually abused a 14-year-old girl on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, in both Poplar and Wolf Point.
The first incident occurred on January 24, 2023, in Poplar. The victim went with Walking Eagle to his mother’s house, and they unprotected sex. The second incident occurred the next day, in Wolf Point. A friend of Walking Eagle’s picked up Walking Eagle and the victim and drove them to Wolf Point, where the victim used marijuana and vaped. She became lightheaded and Walking Eagle removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her.
A SANE exam was completed on the victim and saliva samples were obtained from Walking Eagle. There was very strong support that his DNA was present in the samples obtained from the victim during her exam.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Fort Peck Tribal Police, and Wolf Point Police Department, with assistance from the Williston Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Judge convicts Great Falls man of wire fraud and money laundering for fraudulent use of COVID fundsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man with prior felony convictions who lied about his income and his criminal history to obtain COVID funds was found guilty by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Following a one-day bench trial, Raymond Marcellous Blair, 45, was found guilty of one count of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. Blair faces up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge and up to ten years in prison on each money laundering count, as well as a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Chief Judge Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for January 28, 2026. Blair was released on conditions pending sentencing.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Blair applied for COVID relief in the form of an Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration (SBA) in August 2020. Blair claimed in the loan application that his business has gross revenues of $249,000, which was false. He also falsely claimed he not been convicted of a felony or placed on probation within the last five years. In truth, Blair was convicted of aggravated assault in 2011 and of failing to register as a violent offender in 2017 and was on probation in 2020 when he applied for the EIDL loan.
Relying on Blair’s representations, the SBA approved his EIDL loan application and wired $99,900 into his bank account on September 1, 2020. Blair twice transferred more than $10,000 out of that account and spent the majority of the loan proceeds on personal expenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Hargrove prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.
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Billings man sentenced on drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who sold meth in Billings and carried a firearm to drug deals for protection was sentenced today to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Jessie Craig Iverson, 37, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in November and December 2023, law enforcement received information Iverson was distributing methamphetamine in Billings. Investigators learned he typically sold several ounces of methamphetamine at one time and typically carried a firearm with him to drug sales for protection.
On December 7, 2023, agents learned Iverson was planning to drive to Washington to pick up meth. They placed a GPS tracker on his truck and observed the vehicle making stops in Thompson Falls, Montana and Spokane and Vancouver, Washington. Iverson returned to Montana on December 12 and officers executed a traffic stop near Butte. The Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) searched Iverson and seized a loaded, North American Arms .22 caliber revolver from his sweatshirt pocket, along with 91 grams of meth. Later, during a search of the truck, law enforcement seized a bag of “M30” fentanyl pills concealed in a Hot Tamales container and various bags containing methamphetamine residue.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, Eastern Montana HIDTA, Montana Highway Patrol, and Billings Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Guatemalan man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Guatemalan man who was in the United States illegally was sentenced today to a sentence of time-served and remanded to U.S. Border Patrol upon release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Tomy Osama Salvador-Quino, 24, pleaded guilty on September 9, 2025, to illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that around noon on August 15, 2025, a Hill County Sheriff’s Deputy saw a silver sedan with a Texas license plate speeding through Hingham, Montana. The speed limit in the area was 45 miles per hour and the radar on the patrol vehicle measured the car’s speed at 70 miles per hour. The deputy initiated a traffic stop, approached the driver side of the car, and told the driver, Tomy Salvador-Quino, he was stopped for speeding. The deputy asked Salvador-Quino for his license, proof of insurance, and vehicle registration, but Salvador-Quino did not seem to understand the request and indicated he did not speak English. The deputy requested Border Patrol assistance.
While waiting for the Border Patrol to arrive, Salvador-Quino provided the deputy with his passport, which contained his name and his country of citizenship – Guatemala. The passport did not include any stamps showing Salvador-Quino entered the United States legally.
When a Border Patrol agent arrived, Salvador-Quino admitted he is a Guatemalan citizen with no legal status in the United States. He was taken into custody and processed at the Havre Border Patrol Station. After waiving his rights, he agreed to answer questions and again confirmed he is a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the United States, and has no pending petitions to remain in the United States.
A review of Salvador-Quino’s A-file shows Border Patrol agents previously encountered him on April 5, 2020, and he was removed. He was encountered again in December 2020 and removed on January 15, 2021. He last entered the United States illegally sometime after that date and there are no records within the Department of Homeland Security he ever applied for readmission into the United States.
The United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Border Patrol and the Hill County Sheriff’s Office.
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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