District of Montana

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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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 – 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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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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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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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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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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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).

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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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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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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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 – 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.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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.

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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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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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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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 – 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 - 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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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

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.

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.

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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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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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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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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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 – 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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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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GREAT FALLS – A Billings man who was a prolific sex offender and preyed on the most vulnerable and marginalized Native Americans in Montana for decades by molesting, sexually assaulting, drugging, trafficking, and exploiting any defenseless person without regard to their sex, age or biological relationship was sentenced yesterday to 290 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

James Kirby King, 58, was found guilty by a federal district judge in September 2024 of the following charges:

• Aggravated sexual abuse of a child, one count
• Incest, two counts
• Sexual exploitation of children, three counts
• Aggravated sexual abuse by rendering unconscious or drugging the victim, two counts
• Sexual abuse, two counts
• Attempted aggravated sexual abuse by rendering unconscious or drugging the victim, one count
• Attempted sexual abuse, one count
• Sexual abuse of a minor, one count
• Aggravated sexual abuse by force, one count
• Attempted possession with the intent to sell child pornography in Indian Country, one count
• Possession of child pornography in Indian Country, one count
• Attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, one count

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

In court documents and at trial, the government presented evidence that led to convictions for offenses against victims identified as Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3, Jane Doe 4, Jane Doe 10, and other multiple victims. Some of the victims were under the age of 12 at the time, some were under the age of 16, and some were adults. Most of the conduct occurred on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, where King once lived, and in Billings, where King lived more recently. The charged conduct began as early as approximately 1992 and continued until his arrest in 2023.

As alleged in court documents, for more than a decade King repeatedly molested, drugged, assaulted and sexually exploited Jane Doe 1, whose first memory of the molestation was when she was five years old in 1996.  In approximately 1994 or 1995, when Jane Doe 2 was 14 years old, King gave her a small amount of alcohol at his residence and she “went blank.” Jane Doe 2 later awoke and became aware of King kneeling between her legs and taking pictures of her. In addition, King attempted to sexually exploit Jane Doe 3 on numerous occasions and forced numerous sex acts on her both as a child and later as an adult on the Fort Belknap Reservation and in Billings. King drugged and raped Jane Doe 4 on the Fort Belknap Reservation when she was in her 20s and he was in his 40s. And King attempted to sex traffic by coercion Jane Doe 10 in October 2023.   

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Myers and Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services and Great Falls Police Department.

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GREAT FALLS – A man accused of killing three people in Poplar on September 11 appeared yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

The defendant, Michael J. Ackerman, a/k/a Michael J. Littlebull, 73, appeared on a complaint alleging he committed three counts of second-degree murder. Second degree murder carries maximum penalties of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Ackerman was detained pending further proceedings.

The affidavit in support of the complaint alleges an individual called the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office on September 14, 2025, to report Ackerman admitted killing three people in Poplar. Deputies interviewed Ackerman and he said on September 11 he was using methamphetamine with the three victims, believed they were “setting him up,” and shot and killed them with his Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol. Ackerman told the deputies the bodies were in his residence in Poplar. Fort Peck Tribal law enforcement responded to the residence and found the three victims dead from apparent gunshot wounds.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley is prosecuting the case. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, the Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice, and the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office.

The complaint is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

PACER case reference. 25-106.

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.

GREAT FALLS - A Harlem man who sexually abused a minor on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

The defendant, Ivan Daniel Raining Bird, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a minor. Raining Bird faces a term of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 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 January 29, 2025. Raining Bird was detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that John Doe was about 13 years old when he received a Facebook Message from a user who went by “Ivey” and appeared to be a woman. “Ivey” turned out to be the defendant, Ivan Raining Bird, who was in his late twenties at the time. Doe and Raining Bird continued to message, and Raining Bird eventually invited Doe over to his house.

When Doe arrived at Raining Bird’s house, he realized Raining Bird was a man dressed as a woman. Doe and Raining Bird shared substances and Raining Bird performed oral sex on Doe. For several months, Raining Bird committed similar assaults on Doe.

The FBI investigated Doe’s disclosure of the abuse and interviewed Raining Bird. Raining Bird admitted sharing drugs with teenagers in the past and specifically admitted he knew John Doe was a minor and sexually assaulted him on multiple occasions.

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 – A Great Falls convicted felon who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced yesterday to 16 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Montana Lee Covington, 21, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The government alleged in court documents that on the afternoon of June 1, 2024, Great Falls Police were dispatched to the Grizzly Inn based on reports someone had threatened another person with a gun. When police arrived, they saw the person identified as the suspect in a Jeep in the parking lot. An officer stopped the Jeep and requested the names of the driver and passenger. The driver identified himself while the passenger, Covington, gave a name the officer knew to be false because the officer recognized Covington from previous interactions and confirmed with a booking photo he was the passenger. The officer asked both occupants of the Jeep whether there was a gun in the vehicle, and the driver showed the officer a rifle on the passenger side of the vehicle with Covington. The rifle was taken into evidence, along with 110 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition.

Officers spoke with the victim, Jane Doe, who told them Covington had threatened to shoot her. Doe also said she had seen Covington sitting in the passenger side of the Jeep with a rifle, loading a magazine with bullets. Officers also spoke with the driver, who similarly reported Covington had threatened Doe and had been sitting in the passenger seat with the rifle. Covington denied threatening Doe with a gun but admitted telling her he had guns in the car.

Covington is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a felony theft conviction in Montana state court for which he received a four-year suspended sentence. His probation and parole conditions from that conviction prohibit him from possessing firearms and ammunition, and he acknowledged he knew felons were prohibited from possessing firearms.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Great Falls 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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GREAT FALLS – A Fort Belknap man who assaulted an individual with a baseball bat on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 84 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Jeremy Owen Walker, 39, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The government alleged in court documents that on July 15, 2023, law enforcement was dispatched to the emergency room at Harlem Hospital to investigate a possible assault. The victim, Jane Doe, told law enforcement she had been sleeping at her house when the defendant, Jeremy Owen Walker, burst into her room and beat her with a baseball bat. According to Jane Doe, Walker came to the house and left with another person who was not involved in the assault.

Walker hit Jane Doe on the head with the baseball bat, and when she put her arms up to protect her head, he hit her arms as well. Walker broke Jane Doe’s arm so the bone was visible, and she was diagnosed with a compound fracture of her left arm and a fractured wrist. She underwent surgery to repair the fractures in July 2023. During surgery, medical hardware was placed in her arm and she experienced prolonged complications from her injury and the hardware. She underwent a second surgery in December 2023 to remove a broken plate and screws from her arm.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services.

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GREAT FALLS – A Browning woman who assaulted an individual on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 13 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Kodie Rae Ground, 30, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The government alleged in court documents that on May 29, 2024, John Doe was sitting in his parked car in Browning, Montana. Kodie Ground knocked on the window and asked for a ride. Although Doe declined to give her a ride, she opened the door, got in the car, and told him to take her somewhere. Ground refused to get out of the car, so Doe said he would take her to the police station. En route, Doe continued to ask Ground to get out of the car, and she continued to refuse. Doe tried to get her out while stopped at a traffic light, and she became angry. Ground beat John Doe on the head while holding an unknown object. She took the keys out of the ignition and exited the car. When Doe got out of the car, Ground threw his keys at him and walked away.

Doe went to Blackfeet Hospital because he could not move the left side of his body. A CT scan revealed he had a subdural hematoma (a brain bleed), so he was flown to Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, where he underwent a craniotomy. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the BIA and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.

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GREAT FALLS - A pair of Poplar men who sexually abused their victim on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted to charges this week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Chandler Duran Longtree, 19, and Payton Robert Richard Montclair, 19, each pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse. Each defendant faces life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime 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. Longtree’s sentencing was set for January 14, 2026.  Montclair’s sentencing was set for January 21, 2026.  Both defendants were detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that on January 18, 2025, Jane Doe was drinking with a group of young people. She eventually separated from her friend and went with the defendants, Chandler Longtree and Payton Montclair, both 18 at the time, to Longtree’s house. While at the house, she was sexually assaulted by Longtree and Montclair. Doe reported the assault and underwent an exam from a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), which revealed evidence consistent with a sexual assault.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case.  The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice conducted the investigation.

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GREAT FALLS – A Havre man who illegally possessed firearms was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Emil Martin Lundstrom, 59, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The government alleged in court documents that on October 10, 2017, Emil Martin Lundstrom was sentenced to 20 years with 5 years suspended on eight counts of felony theft in the Montana Seventeenth Judicial District Court, Phillips County.

On September 6, 2024, law enforcement responded to a Havre business to remove Lundstrom from the property because his employment was being terminated due to theft from the business. Officers learned from the owners Lundstrom had previously been found with bullet shell casings in his work pickup and they knew he was not allowed to be in possession of firearms because he was on probation.

A probation search was executed on Lundstrom’s work pickup. A Ziploc bag with what appeared to be several rounds of 9mm full metal jacket cartridges was found in the pickup.

Law enforcement also searched Lundstrom’s residence and a camper on his property. In the residence, officers found several rifle barrels and rifle buttstocks in a back bedroom under bed sheets, and three firearms in the walk-in closet of Lundstrom’s bedroom, along with a safe containing cash.

In the camper, officers seized pistols, rifles, and shotguns in the living and kitchen areas and a .22 caliber pistol in a black case under the bed mattress.

When the officers asked Lundstrom if they had recovered all the firearms, he suggested they check a pile of items in the garage, which led to the discovery of another rifle in a gun case.

During an interview with law enforcement, Lundstrom admitted he knew he was prohibited because he was on probation. He also said he had acquired many of the firearms before he was placed on probation in 2017, but he purchased additional guns from individuals after being placed on probation. Lundstrom said he bought firearms through private parties after being placed on probation because he could not purchase them from an FFL. He also obtained hunting permits to hunt with firearms for several years after being placed on probation, which he knew would last for the next 20 years.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF, Hill County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Probation and Parole.

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 – A previous sex offender from Billings who attempted to obtain nude photos from a person he was thought was 12 years old was found guilty by a federal jury today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Following a one-and-a-half-day trial, Steven Dwayne Scott, 51, was found guilty of one count of attempted coercion and enticement and one count of possession of child pornography. Scott faces 10 years to lifetime imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release on both counts of conviction.

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 January 8, 2026. Scott was detained pending further proceedings.

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 as a result of a 1997 conviction for Sexual Abuse of a Minor, issued in the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota.

Finally, 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 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.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

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GREAT FALLS – A Browning woman who took over $30,000 from Heart Butte School District was sentenced today to 25 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Jonnie Jo Fransis Spotted Eagle, 37, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The government alleged in court documents that while working for the Heart Butte School District, Spotted Eagle embezzled funds by using school credit cards and purchase orders, presenting such orders to local grocery stores, and obtaining and using gift cards for her own personal benefit, none of which was authorized. While doing so, Spotted Eagle forged the name of school employees to cover up the fraudulent transactions.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Weldon and Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI.

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GREAT FALLS - A Poplar man who sexual abused two victims on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

The defendant, Emmett Alfred Buckles, 41, pleaded guilty to 2 counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Buckles faces a term of 15 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime 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 January 14, 2026. Buckles was detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that in March of 2024, Jane Doe 1 was forensically interviewed and disclosed she was sexually abused by Buckles. Doe 1 described that on January 22, 2024, she was drinking and doing drugs when Buckles contacted her via Facebook. Doe 1 was over the age of 12, but under the age of 16. Buckles was 39. Buckles then joined Doe 1 and they hung out together.

Later in the night and into early next morning Doe 1 and Buckles ended up at his house in Poplar. While there, Buckles sexually abused Doe in an assault that Doe described lasting hours. Doe described the layout of Buckles’ bedroom and various items in his room.

Law enforcement obtained Facebook messages between Jane Doe 2 and Buckles. Doe 2 was over the age of 12, but under the age of 16. Doe 2 was subsequently interviewed and described that in January 2024 she was using meth with Buckles, and he shot her up with meth. Buckles then sexually assaulted her. Doe 2 drew a sketch of Buckles’ room that described a similar layout to what Doe 1 observed.

Federal agents executed a search warrant at Buckles’ house in Poplar. During the search, law enforcement officers observed that many details regarding the layout of Buckles’ bedroom were consistent with both Jane Does’ statements. This included the layout and various items of personal property.

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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GREAT FALLS - A political consultant from Helena accused of defrauding several clients admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

The defendant, Abbey Lee Cook, 35, pleaded guilty to 3 counts of wire fraud. Cook faces maximum penalties on each count of 20 years in prison, 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 January 12, 2026. Cook was released with conditions pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that in January 2021, Cook registered the business Abbey Lee Cook and Associates, LLC with the State of Montana. Cook, through her business, provided political campaign compliance services for multiple candidates and political action committees (PACs) in Montana. Her services included, but were not limited to, establishing bank accounts, depositing political donations, and filing campaign financial reports with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practice (COPP) on behalf of her clients.

In and around 2021 Cook starting volunteering for Victim 2, an issue advocacy PAC in Montana. Her primary duty was to file reports with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP). Cook obtained signature card authority for Victim 2’s bank account and, commencing in September 2021, began to issue checks from Victim 2’s account to her business account without authorization. These fraudulent transfers and checks, which ranged in value from $800 to $15,000, resulted in a loss to Victim 2 of roughly $82,000. One such fraudulent transfer occurred on March 20, 2023, when Cook wrote a check from Victim 2’s account to her business account, without authorization, in the amount of $3,000.00. Another occurred on August 23, 2023, when Cook wrote a check from Victim 2’s account to her business account, without authorization, in the amount of $15,000.

During this period, Cook filed false reports with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP), materially underreporting the amount of money she was taking from Victim 2.

Victim 1 hired Cook in connection with a 2024 campaign for statewide office. Cook’s duties included, among other activities, monitoring and paying bills on behalf of the campaign and preparing internal financial reporting documents. In her job, Cook had access to Victim 1’s campaign account. Commencing in March 2024, Cook began to wire money from Victim 1’s campaign account to her own account without authorization. These fraudulent transfers occurred through October 2024 when Victim 1’s campaign noticed an issue and Cook’s access to the bank account was terminated. During this period, Cook filed false reports with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP), materially underreporting the amount of money she was taking from Victim 1.

Victim 5, a Montana State representative, hired Cook in approximately in June 2023 for campaign-compliance work. Cook was provided signatory authority for Victim 5’s campaign bank account and, commencing in approximately June 2023, began to fraudulently write checks or transfer money to her business without authorization. The total loss to Victim 5 was roughly $53,100 and included a check issued on or about November 8, 2023, for $3,000.

During the period of the alleged fraud Cook took active steps to conceal her activity. In addition to the multiple false filings with the COPP, she also ignored inquiries from her victims concerning certain financial transactions and transferred money between victims’ accounts without their knowledge and authorization. One such transfer occurred on or about July 2, 2024, when Cook transferred approximately $26,000 from Victim 2’s account to Victim 4’s campaign account. Victim 4, a candidate for statewide office, had also retained Cook’s services at the time. When flagged by representatives for Victims 2 and 4, Cook falsely said she was redirecting payments that were misdirected. When told to put that representation in writing, she never did. In a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Cook admitted she transferred the money without authorization or knowledge of Victims 2 and 4, for the purpose of covering financial obligations on behalf of Victim 4.

During the period of the scheme a significant percentage of the money fraudulently transferred to her account was used by Cook to pay her personal credit card, loan payments for vehicles, and payments for commercial property. In June 2025, Cook admitted much of this conduct to law enforcement. The total loss to her victims because of Cook’s fraudulent conduct, as reflected in the Information, exceeded $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.

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MISSOULA – A Mexican man who was in the United States illegally was sentenced yesterday to 15 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Rigonaldo Diaz-Chixna, 30, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to illegal reentry.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

The government alleged in court documents that on December 10, 2024, Diaz-Chixna, a Mexican citizen was arrested in Bozeman for obstructing a peace officer and for two outstanding warrants. Law enforcement officers conducted fingerprint analysis which confirmed Diaz-Chixna’s most recent removal from the United States was on or about July 19, 2022. This removal occurred after his felony conviction for illegal reentry on June 3, 2022, in the District of Montana. There is no indication in Department of Homeland Security files that Diaz-Chixna ever applied for or obtained the permission of the United States Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Clarke prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and Bozeman Police Department.

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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GREAT FALLS – A California woman who trafficked significant amounts of drugs on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Ashley Joceyln Cortez, 25, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The government alleged in court documents that from October 2023 until May 21, 2024, Cortez trafficked substantial amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. She made four trips for a co-defendant beginning in November 2023. Cortez estimated she transported 23 pounds of meth, 4,500 fentanyl pills, five ounces of fentanyl powder, and three ounces of cocaine. She also estimated she transported $230,000 and watched a co-defendant distribute drugs out of her house in Box Elder.

On May 21, 2024, law enforcement executed a state search warrant at the co-defendant’s residence in Box Elder. During the execution of the search warrant, a law enforcement agent saw Cortez hiding in a bathroom with the water running. After detaining her, the agent noticed a large amount of methamphetamine and cocaine in the bathtub with the water running. It was apparent to the agent Cortez was attempting to destroy evidence. During the search, law enforcement seized approximately 64.5 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 98 grams of cocaine, and about 64 fentanyl pills. They also found approximately $8,800 in cash and a firearm.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, ATF, Tri-Agency Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services, and Hill 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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