District of Montana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Great Falls man sentenced to over 10 years in prison on drug chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A convicted felon from Great Falls who possessed guns and drugs was sentenced today to 128 months in prison to be followed by5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Michael Shawn O’Neill, 59, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on September 4, 2023, Michael Shawn O’Neill, a convicted felon on state supervision, possessed thousands of fentanyl pills for redistribution, as well as four firearms and some methamphetamine and heroin. The guns and drugs were found during a probation search and the subsequent execution of a search warrant in Great Falls, Montana. On September 14, 2023, O’Neill told interviewing agents that there was no one above him in the Great Falls area. He drove to Spokane to get his supply and he believed he was one step away from the cartel through a third party. He distributed drugs to smaller users who purchased less than 100 pills at a time. He said he just spent $12,000 in Spokane on the drugs found on September 4, 2023,and told agents: “I was moving about 500-800 pills a day, plus an ounce of heroin, plus an ounce of meth – I wasn’t moving that much.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the ATF, Russell Country Drug Task Force, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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Federal jury convicts South Dakota man of sexually abusing two victims on Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A federal jury yesterday convicted a South Dakota man of multiple crimes involving the sexual abuse of two victims on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
After a two-day trial, the jury found the defendant, Farron Gene American Horse, Sr., 40, guilty of sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact as charged in an indictment. On the more serious charge of sexual abuse, American Horse faces up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and not less than five years to life of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 17, 2025. American Horse will remain in custody pending further proceedings.
“Protecting the public on our Native American reservations has been, and remains, a top priority for the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office here in Montana, especially vulnerable victims like those in this case. The defendant’s decision to abuse the children he was supposed to be caring for, is abhorrent and tragic. The jury’s guilty verdict should serve as a warning to others who would abuse others that they will be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I want to thank the Assistant U. S. Attorneys and staff in our office, and the law enforcement agents from the FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services for their hard work on the case.” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
The government alleged at trial and in court documents that American Horse sexually abused the victims in September and October 2020 in Hays, on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. In the summer of 2020, American Horse went to live with a woman and her family in Hays and helped look after the children. In October 2020, one victim, identified as Jane Doe 1, who had attained the age of 12 years but had not yet reached the age of 16 years, disclosed being sexually abused by American Horse while spending the night at the woman’s residence. About this time, another victim, identified as Jane Doe 2, who also had attained the age of 12 years but had not yet reached the age of 16 years, disclosed that American Horse had touched her while she was sleeping at the woman’s home weeks earlier.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Cut Bank man sentenced to two years in prison for assaultRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Cut Bank man who assaulted a 17-year-old girl was sentenced today to 24 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Elijah John Bullcalf, 21, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 25, 2023, Bullcalf assaulted Jane Doe in her bedroom at her parents’ home. They got into an argument after Bullcalf saw a text message he didn’t like on Doe’s cell phone. Bullcalf bit Doe’s hand and then punched her one time in the face, breaking her jaw.
Bullcalf didn’t want her to go to the hospital and took her to his house instead. After several hours, Doe was in so much pain that Bullcalf relented and took her to the hospital. He told Doe to tell everyone she slipped and fell on the porch. Doe had to have two metal plates surgically placed in her jaw, one of which is permanent. Doe told law enforcement that one month after the assault, Bullcalf hit her again in the same part of the jaw, causing pain and bleeding. During a recorded interview with law enforcement in March 2024, Bullcalf admitted the assault.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.
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Browning attorney arraigned on sex abuse chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Browning attorney accused of sexual assault appeared today for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Nathan Nicholas Johnson St. Goddard, 44, of Browning, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact, and making a false statement. If convicted of the most serious crime, St. Goddard faces life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. St. Goddard was released on conditions pending further proceedings.
The indictment alleges that on June 22, 2024, St. Goddard knowingly engaged in sexual acts with Jane Doe by using force and threatening and placing Jane Doe in fear, and without Jane Doe’s consent. Additionally, the indictment alleges he made a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation to the FBI.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-25.
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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Bozeman man sentenced to ten years in prison on drug chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Bozeman man who possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Rene Montenegro-Virrey, 51, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in August 2022, drug investigators learned that Rene Montenegro-Virrey was planning a trip to Bozeman to deliver 7,000 fentanyl pills and five pounds of methamphetamine. Over the next several months, drugs were purchased from the defendant through undercover purchases and controlled buys. In August 2024, Montenegro-Virrey met with undercover officers for another transaction. Four pounds of methamphetamine was seized from his vehicle.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the Missouri River Drug Task Force.
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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Georgia man sentenced to over 4 years in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theftRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – An Atlanta, Georgia man who defrauded banks in multiple states was sentenced today to 57 months in prison to be followed by 5 years supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant was also ordered to pay $161,401.17 in restitution.
Stanford Wilvin Lightfoot, 33, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that for approximately 5 months in 2023, Stanford Lightfoot was a member of a large fraud ring that had been defrauding banks in Montana, Maine and Missouri. In each location, Lightfoot and other coconspirators would travel to the state from the base of operations in Atlanta, Georgia. Once there, they would recruit local homeless individuals who possessed valid ID cards. They would then take these homeless individuals to local banks and provide them with fraudulent checks from real accounts. These checks all possessed forged signatures of real people and were, therefore, means of identification. The homeless individuals would then attempt to cash the checks and, if successful, would provide the money to Lightfoot and his coconspirators. If the homeless individuals were caught by police, they would be abandoned to take the blame. In Montana, Lightfoot hit multiple banks in Belgrade, Bozeman, and Livingston utilizing local homeless individuals to forge checks in excess of $20,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the FBI, Livingston Police Department, Belgrade Police Department, and Bozeman Police Department.
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Passenger charged with sexual assault during flight from Montana to TexasRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A New Jersey man accused of sexual assault while flying from Bozeman, Montana to Dallas, Texas was charged this week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, 36, of Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey, was charged in a one-count indictment with abusive sexual contact in special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. If convicted, Shukla faces two years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
Shukla is scheduled to appear on April 17, 2025, for an arraignment.
The indictment alleges that on January 26, 2025, on board an American Airlines flight from Bozeman to Dallas, Shukla engaged in sexual contact with another person without that other person’s permission.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, ICE and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Police conducted the investigation.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-08.
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 man pleads guilty to drug chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Billings man accused of possessing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Dustin James Massey, 40, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Massey faces a mandatory minimum term of ten years to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for August 1, 2025, and Massey was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on September 20, 2023, agents with the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation learned from a source that Dustin Massey was selling drugs in Billings and was known to have guns. Agents learned Massey was on federal supervision due to a prior federal conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
On September 21, 2023, United States Probation officers, along with agents from the Montana DCI, attempted to conduct a probation search at Massey’s residence. Law enforcement went to Massey’s residence and knocked on the door, announcing their presence. Massey did not respond, and law enforcement breached the door of the residence. In response, Massey shot at officers forcing officers to return fire, eventually shooting Massey. Officers disarmed Massey and noted the firearm he had been using was a Sig Sauer with an extended magazine.
Agents searched the residence pursuant to a search warrant. Agents seized approximately four pounds of methamphetamine, more than 12,000 fentanyl pills, and 49.4 grams of cocaine. Agents also seized three firearms: a Sig Sauer, model P320, 9x19 mm pistol, a Taurus, model G3, 9x19mm pistol, and a North American Arms, Model NAA-22LR, .22 caliber revolver.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. ATF and Montana DCI 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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Federal jury convicts Ashland man of aggravated sexual abuse and distribution of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A federal jury yesterday convicted an Ashland man of sexually abusing four women and distributing methamphetamine to two of them over a three-year period, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
After a two-day trial that began on March 31, the jury found the defendant, Stephen “Mutt” John Parker, 60, guilty of four counts of aggravated sexual abuse and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Parker faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life on each charge of sexual abuse, in addition to a fine of $250,000 and a term of supervised release of five years to life. For each meth charge, Parker faces zero to 20 years in prison, a fine of $1 million, and at least 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 31, 2025. Parker was detained pending further proceedings.
“Parker preyed on women on the Northern Cheyenne reservation by plying some of them with drugs and alcohol, seeking to capitalize on their addiction to perpetrate violent sexual assaults. We are pleased with the jury’s verdict, which will help ensure the safety of women on the Northern Cheyenne community. I would like to thank the attorneys and staff in our office for their hard work on this case as well as the FBI agents who conducted the investigation.” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
The government alleged at trial and in court documents that from 2018 to 2021, Parker sexually abused six women after providing them with alcohol and illegal drugs. During one instance in 2018, he gave a victim food and a place to stay. Parker also provided her with alcohol and methamphetamine. During a party at his house, Parker threatened the victim with a stick before sexually abusing her. On another occasion, Parker distributed meth to a different victim. After hitting her with an ax handle, Parker sexually assaulted her. In other instances, Parker physically assaulted the victims, including punching one victim in the face multiple times, prior to sexually abusing them.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Northern Cheyenne Criminal Investigation Services.
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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Billings man sentenced to over 7 years in prison for distributing methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who possessed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 94 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Brice Judsen Bailey, 33, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that from September 2023 through January 2024, Bailey was one of approximately seven defendants in a drug distribution network in Billings. The group received methamphetamine from a drug trafficking organization in Washington state and funneled pounds of methamphetamine into the Billings area. Bailey was a significant source of supply for the group, distributing between a quarter-pound and a half-pound of meth each day. He arranged two controlled purchases totaling over one pound of methamphetamine. Not only was Bailey a significant dealer of methamphetamine, but he also provided several firearms to one of his co-defendants in exchange for meth.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the DEA.
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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U.S. Justice Department to Surge Resources to Indian County to Investigate Unresolved Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — The Justice Department today announced that it will surge FBI assets across the country to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country, including crimes relating to missing and murdered indigenous persons.
The FBI will send 60 personnel, rotating in 90-day temporary duty assignments over a six-month period. This operation is the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date. FBI personnel will support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland, Oreg.; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. The FBI will work in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions.
FBI personnel will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and they will use the latest forensic evidence processing tools to solve cases and hold perpetrators accountable. U.S. Attorney’s Offices will aggressively prosecute case referrals.
“Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability that these communities deserve,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
“We are very pleased that the FBI is dispatching additional resources to the Salt Lake City Division, which covers Montana, to assist our ongoing efforts to find missing indigenous persons and hold violent offenders accountable. I want to thank the agents already working on these cases in Montana from both the FBI and the BIA’s Missing and Murdered Unit. Together with the Tribal Community Response Plans facilitated by DOJ for each Montana reservation community and DOJ’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, this deployment will help address this critical problem. Missing and murdered indigenous people will not be forgotten.” said U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.
Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints.
Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crimes in West Virginia and MontanaRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jardan Donaldson, 36, of Mount Clemens, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine in West Virginia and to possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Montana.
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. 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. As part of today’s guilty pleas, Donaldson admitted to possessing the seized methamphetamine and consented to the disposition of the Montana offense in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Donaldson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 4, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
Co-defendant Justin Saunders, 28, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on February 12, 2025, to distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Saunders admitted to selling approximately 896 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential source at the Quarrier Street residence in Charleston, where he lived, on February 3, 2024. Saunders is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh is prosecuting the case. Assistant United States Samuel D. Marsh is prosecuting 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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Colorado man pleads guilty to child pornography offensesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Colorado man accused of producing and distributing child pornography and transferring obscene material to a minor admitted to charges on March 27, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said today.
The defendant, Tyrell Forest Anderson, 35, pleaded guilty to three counts in an indictment charging him with production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. Anderson faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years for the production charge, 5 to 20 years on the distribution charge, and up to 10 years for transferring obscene material. He also faces a total term of supervised release of 5 years to life, fines of $250,000 per charge, and several thousands of dollars of special assessments. Pursuant to terms of the plea agreement between the parties, Anderson cannot be sentenced to a total term greater than 27 years.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan presided and U.S. District Judge Susan Watters will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set by the Court and Anderson was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in October 2022, a Gallatin High School student, Jane Doe 8, reported she had inappropriate communications with Anderson over Snapchat approximately two years earlier, when she was in eighth grade. The Bozeman Police Department began investigating and identified numerous minors Anderson solicited for sex or for sexually explicit images via Snapchat in exchange for money, nicotine, or drugs between 2022 and 2024. In addition, two Bozeman-area juvenile females had a sexual encounter with a college-aged male and recorded the encounter. Anderson came into possession of the video and distributed the video and images from the video to local minors with whom he was communicating over Snapchat.
In February 2024, Anderson communicated with Jane Doe 1 over Snapchat. Jane Doe 1 was, at that time, 13 years old and located in Yellowstone County. Anderson said he wanted to have sex with her and tried to convince her to meet up with him. Anderson asked her to send him specific images, including topless and nude images, which she sent. Anderson also asked Jane Doe 1 if she was going to “snitch” on him because the age scared him and if they got caught he would get in trouble. Data recovered from Anderson’s Snapchat account showed that Jane Doe 1 sent Anderson multiple images and videos of child pornography.
Also in February 2024, Anderson added John Doe 1 on Snapchat. Anderson sent John Doe 1 the video of the two juvenile females having sexual contact with the college-aged male and claimed to be the male in the video. The video depicted the two females providing oral sex to the male. Anderson knew the video depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct because he communicated with at least one of the minors in the video and referenced her by name when transmitting the video to other local children.
Also in February 2024, Anderson added Jane Doe 7 on Snapchat and requested sexually explicit images or sex from her. Anderson asked Jane Doe 7 how old she was, and she told him she was 14. Unsolicited, Anderson sent Jane Doe 7 approximately 20 images of nude females. Jane Doe 7 recognized one of the images as one of her classmates, also a minor. Anderson also sent her an unsolicited photograph of his penis.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bozeman Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Missoula woman sentenced to thirteen years in prison for trafficking meth and fentanylRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula woman who trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to 156 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Emily Svoboda, 31, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on November 23, 2022, a confidential source purchased 100 fentanyl pills from Svoboda for $600. The source asked Svoboda if she had any “clear” – a slang term for meth – and Svoboda said she did not currently but likely would be resupplying later in the evening. The confidential source asked for a “roll” of fentanyl pills (100), and Svoboda said she could provide that. Svoboda had a bag of approximately 200 pills but was not willing to sell all of them. Five days later, on November 28, 2022, the confidential source purchased 26.5 grams of methamphetamine and 50 fentanyl pills from Svoboda for $1,000. And on December 9, 2022, Svoboda sold the source 53.7 grams of methamphetamine and 100 fentanyl pills for $1,400. A review of Svoboda’s Facebook pages revealed messages related to drug transactions and she admitted to law enforcement she sold drugs. She said she received between two and four ounces of methamphetamine from a co-conspirator every two to four weeks from roughly September to December 2022.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF, Missoula Police Department, and Missoula HIDTA 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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Missoula man sentenced to ten years in prison for trafficking meth and fentanylRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula man who trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to 120 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Andrew David Ambler, 27, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 24, 2024, Ambler was arrested by members of the Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force on a parole violation for suspected drug trafficking and firearm-related offenses. Prior to being taken into custody, Ambler attempted to flee on foot while trying to get to his vehicle and discarded a backpack and a bag that were on his person. The backpack and bag contained a loaded .22 caliber pistol, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. A search of Ambler’s vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills, which he admitted he intended to distribute.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime 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 https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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Federal jury convicts Billings man of possessing a firearm following a felony convictionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A federal jury today convicted a Billings man of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
After a two-day trial that began on March 17, the jury found the defendant, Joshua David Heafner, 40, guilty of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Heafner faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 18, 2025. Heafner was detained pending further proceedings.
“Heafner, a convicted felon with prior convictions for assaulting a peace officer and robbery, continued to endanger the citizens of Billings by illegally possessing a gun, leaving the scene of an accident, and fleeing from police. I want to thank the law enforcement officers who investigated this case and the lawyers and staff in our office for their outstanding work during trial,” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
The government alleged at trial and in court documents that on March 14, 2023, around 8:00 p.m., the Billings Police Department received a report of a hit and run at the intersection of North 31st Street and 6th Avenue North. Officers observed an unoccupied Volkswagen Passat in the middle of the intersection and witnesses described a man who resembled Heafner fleeing the scene on foot after the accident. Inside the car, officers saw a black pistol, some rounds of ammunition, and a methadone bottle with Heafner’s name on it. Heafner, who had outstanding arrest warrants at the time, was located near his residence, where he ran from the police before eventually being detained. Further investigation of the Passat revealed Heafner’s fingerprints in multiple locations on the driver’s side and on a cell phone found on the front driver’s side floorboard. Heafner was convicted of assault on a peace officer, robbery, and assault with a weapon, all felonies, in Billings in September 2013.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Billings Police Department and the ATF.
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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Kurt Alme to serve as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of MontanaRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – Kurt G. Alme has been appointed as the U. S. Attorney for the District of Montana by U. S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Mr. Alme was sworn in by Chief U. S. District Judge Brian Morris on March 17, 2025. He will serve on an interim basis as the U. S. Attorney for a period of 120 days or until a Presidential nominee has been confirmed by the Senate.
Mr. Alme brings over 30 years of legal experience to his new role. He previously served as an Assistant U. S. Attorney in Montana from 2003 to 2010, where he focused on financial investigations involving white collar fraud, government program fraud, bankruptcy fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion. Mr. Alme also served as the First Assistant U. S. Attorney from 2006 to 2010, before leaving to serve as the Executive V. P. and, later, the President and General Counsel of the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation. In September 2017, Mr. Alme was unanimously confirmed as Montana’s U. S. Attorney, after being recommended by Senator Steve Daines and nominated by President Trump, a post he held until December 2020. Since then, he served as State Budget Director for Governor Greg Gianforte and most recently as the Executive V. P. for Planned Giving with the National Christian Foundation.
Mr. Alme is a native of Great Falls who graduated from Custer County District High School in Miles City. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado summa cum laude and his law degree from Harvard Law School cum laude. After graduation from law school, he clerked for Montana U. S. District Judge Charles Lovell, was a partner in the regional law firm now known as Crowley Fleck, and served as Director of the Montana Department of Revenue under Governor Judy Martz.
“I am grateful to Attorney General Bondi for the opportunity to serve again as United States Attorney for Montana,” Mr. Alme said. “The U. S. Attorney’s Office has an outstanding group of people who are giving their careers to make Montana safer and fairly represent the United States in legal matters. I look forward to again working with them and all of our dedicated federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement and prosecuting partners to continue the important work of combatting violent crime, the trafficking of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and illegal immigration.”
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Billings man sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who possessed and traded child pornography was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. He was also ordered to pay $22,000 in special assessments to the United States
Nathan Allen Sayler, 48, pleaded guilty in April 2024 to possession of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in September 2020 law enforcement in Texas arrested an individual who was exchanging child pornography on social media with someone in Montana. His social media accounts were reviewed, and law enforcement learned after an extensive investigation that the person in Montana was Sayler. Because Sayler was a convicted sex offender, law enforcement conducted a probation search of his house and interviewed him. Sayler denied using the cell phone associated with the social media account trading child pornography, which was never found by the authorities. But Sayler later admitted to another witness that he was in possession of the phone during the search and discarded it after law enforcement left his residence. In January 2024, agents executed a search warrant on Sayler’s Gmail accounts and discovered images of child pornography on one of them.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the Federal Bureau of Investigation 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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Lame Deer man sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for trafficking meth and possessing guns in large-scale investigationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man who trafficked methamphetamine and possessed guns in furtherance of that trafficking as part of large-scale, multi-state operation that was centered on the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Indian Reservations was sentenced today to 196 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Geofredo James Littlebird, Jr., 40, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that federal law enforcement, in collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, engaged in a large-scale, multiple-state narcotics trafficking investigation centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one referred to as Spear Siding, were a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations. Littlebird was one of the individuals affiliated with the investigation. Littlebird distributed drugs primarily out of a house on Northern Cheyenne and also directed distribution of meth on Crow.
The government further alleged that beginning in 2022, law enforcement became aware of Littlebird’s distribution activity and subsequently purchased methamphetamine from him or his associates on multiple occasions. Littlebird sold drugs out of his house, sold drugs while possessing guns, and even had his mother sell drugs for him. In August 2022, law enforcement used confidential sources to make several purchases of meth from Littlebird and his associates. During one purchase, a handgun was next to Littlebird. Following the drug buys, agents searched Littlebird’s house and seized evidence of drug distribution, multiple firearms, body armor, and meth. In October 2022, Littlebird’s house was searched again and law enforcement recovered four more guns and almost 30 grams of meth.
This is Littlebird’s second federal felony drug offense – he previously served 10 years in prison following a 2010 conviction for conspiracy to distribute meth.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Former Missoula credit union employee sentenced to prison for embezzling $389,000 by swapping real money for fake currencyRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A former Missoula credit union employee who admitted to embezzling approximately $389,000 from the vault by swapping real money with fake funds was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $389,000 restitution, Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot said.
The defendant, Edward Arthur Nurse, 35, of Missoula, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to an indictment charging him with theft from a credit union.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court also sentenced Nurse to six months of home confinement and to perform 600 hours of community service. The court allowed Nurse to self-report to prison.
In court documents, the government alleged that from about July 2023 to June 2024, Nurse embezzled from his employer, Park Side Credit Union in Missoula. In June 2024, an employee discovered $340,000 in cash in the credit union’s vault had been replaced with fake funds from a company that provides fake currency as props for movies and entertainment productions. Nurse used his position as “team lead” for the vault to swap the credit union’s cash with fake money he purchased specifically for this purpose. Nurse hid his conduct from security cameras, auditors and his colleagues by putting real money at the front and back of bundles of fake money. Nurse made multiple purchases of fake money and stole the real cash from his work at different times over a seven-month period.
After the credit union discovered the thefts, Nurse claimed to an FBI special agent that he did not usually carry much cash and, aside from a vacation to Las Vegas, Nevada, he had not made any recent large purchases or cash deposits. However, records show that Nurse made at least nine cash deposits of over $10,000 each in 2024 into his personal account. The investigation also determined that during the first six months of 2024, Nurse had purchased $410,000 in fake currency from a prop money company. The credit union was later informed that approximately $50,000 in fake money had been received by the Federal Reserve in July 2024. Those funds were returned and determined to be fake bills from the prop money company.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, with assistance from the Missoula Police Department, conducted the investigation.
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Helena man admits unlawful possession of firearm in school zoneRead the Press Release
HELENA — A Helena man accused of carrying a firearm on the campus of the Jim Darcy Elementary School in Helena admitted to a firearm charge today, Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot said.
The defendant, Bryant Nicholas Espinoza, 37, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm in a school zone. Espinoza faces a maximum of five years in prison, consecutive to any other count of conviction, a $100,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 9. Espinoza was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on Feb. 7, 2024, the principal of Jim Darcy Elementary School contacted the Lewis and Clark Sheriff’s Office and advised the responding deputy that a staff member had notified her that the day prior, the parent of a student was on campus and was carrying a firearm. The staff member observed Espinoza standing in front of the school with a small dog. The staffer approached to assist Espinoza, and he informed the staffer he was there to pick up his daughter, who was a student. During the conversation, the staffer observed Espinoza was carrying a firearm. The staffer identified Espinoza in a photo, and surveillance video showed Espinoza on school property with a small dog and what appeared to be a pistol in a holster on his hip. On April 9, 2024, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the sheriff’s office executed a federal search warrant at Espinoza’s residence and seized a 9mm pistol, two rifles and ammunition. In an interview, Espinoza identified himself in still photos taken from the surveillance video and said that the item on his hip looked like a firearm. Espinoza told agents where the pistol was located at his residence. Agents asked if there was a reason he had the gun at the school, and Espinoza responded that Montana was an “open carry state.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Lewis and Clark 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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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana announces departure of U.S. Attorney Jesse LaslovichRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana today announced the departure of U. S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich, effective yesterday.
Mr. Laslovich has served as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the District of Montana since being sworn into office on June 2, 2022. President Joe Biden nominated Mr. Laslovich for the position on Jan. 31, 2022, and the U.S. Senate confirmed him on May 17, 2022.
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Laslovich oversaw all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation on behalf of the U.S. government. The district has offices in Helena, Great Falls, Missoula, Butte, and Billings.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve as the United States Attorney for the state that raised me. I am profoundly grateful to the talented and hard-working people in this office, as well as our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners who strive every day to uphold the rule of law, keep people safe, and steadfastly defend the interests of the United States of America. I have never been prouder to have served with them, and I will always be rooting hard for their continued safety and success,” Mr. Laslovich said.
During Mr. Laslovich’s tenure, the U.S. Attorney’s Office focused on prosecuting drug trafficking and violent and sexual abuse crimes occurring on Montana’s six Indian Reservations that are within federal jurisdiction for major crimes; building strong partnerships with other federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement agencies; addressing violent and firearms crimes in communities across the state through initiatives like Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF); and protecting civil rights for all Montanans. The office continued its work to protect children from online and in person sexual predators, abusers, and traffickers, and to catch fraudsters, especially those who prey on elderly and vulnerable persons.
Mr. Laslovich also emphasized the importance of strong working relationships with numerous law enforcement agencies at the local, state, tribal and federal levels. Mr. Laslovich and office representatives met regularly with tribal leadership to discuss various issues. The office also worked closely with other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and organizations to strengthen trust, communications, and cooperation in working toward the shared goal of keeping people safe and holding offenders accountable.
In Indian Country, the U.S. Attorney’s Office worked with tribal and federal law enforcement partners to shut down trafficking rings attempting to set up bases on Montana reservations and enlist residents to distribute drugs transported from outside Montana. One of those cases involved dismantling a large, multi-state drug trafficking organization that was based on Crow Indian Reservation property known as Spear Siding and distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl to three other Montana Indian reservations and communities from suppliers in Washington and a Mexican cartel. The case resulted in federal convictions in Montana of 27 persons and was one of the largest federal drug trafficking investigations in Montana.
Additionally, a recent six-month-long enforcement initiative led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, in cooperation with Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Reservation, led to indictments of multiple individuals on drug crimes. The enforcement action was aimed at identifying hot spots and devoting law enforcement resources to communities facing rising rates of drug-related violent crime and overdose deaths.
During the last three years, federal prosecutors remained committed to making communities across Montana safer by identifying and prosecuting the most dangerous offenders through initiatives like PSN and OCDETF. In Great Falls, a multi-agency investigation into a large fentanyl trafficking ring led to a coordinated take down of suspects and convictions of 10 individuals.
During Mr. Laslovich’s tenure, prosecutions of individuals on federal firearms crimes increased significantly. The average number of defendants charged with illegal possession of a firearm averaged 111 cases a year from 2022 through 2024, compared with an average of 83 cases per year from 2014 to 2021. And the number of defendants charged with carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence or drug trafficking also increased to an average of 56 cases a year from 2022 to 2024 from an average of 40 cases per year from 2014 to 2021.
Additionally, Mr. Laslovich oversaw the launch in Montana of United Against Hate, a Justice Department initiative focused on improving the prevention of hate crimes and hate incidents by building relationships at the local level. Laslovich and the office’s civil rights coordinator and prosecutor held a series of community meetings across the state with law enforcement partners, community and faith organizations, tribal communities, and citizens to discuss identifying and reporting hate crimes and to learn about available resources. Further, the office successfully prosecuted a Basin man on federal hate and firearms crimes after he fired an AK-style assault rifle at the residence of a woman, who identified as lesbian, and was home at the time. The defendant was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
The office’s civil team continued its work defending the United States in litigation, collecting debts owed to the federal government, and investigating fraud. As part of that work, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reached a civil settlement agreement in 2024 between the federal government and St. Peter’s Health, in Helena, in which St. Peter’s agreed to pay $10,844,201 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payments to federal health care programs for services performed by an oncology doctor.
Prior to becoming U.S. Attorney, Mr. Laslovich served as regional vice president for SCL Health Montana-Wyoming since 2017. From 2009 to 2016, Mr. Laslovich was chief legal counsel in the office of the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, where he prosecuted securities fraud cases. During 2011 and 2012, Laslovich also served as a special assistant U.S. attorney on securities cases in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana. He previously worked in the Montana Attorney General’s Office. Mr. Laslovich began his legal career at Datsopoulos, MacDonald & Lind, P.C. in Missoula and taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Montana School of Law for two semesters.
As one of the youngest Montanans ever elected to the Montana Legislature, Mr. Laslovich first served in the House of Representatives from 2001 through 2004 and then in the Senate from 2005 to 2010, representing Anaconda-Deer Lodge, Granite, and Powell counties.
Mr. Laslovich received his J.D. from the University of Montana School of Law in 2006 and his B.A., with high honors, from the University of Montana in 2003.
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Former Great Falls woman sentenced to prison for 2021 crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation that seriously injured passengerRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A former Great Falls woman who was convicted by a federal judge for a December 2021 crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in which a juvenile passenger suffered serious injuries was sentenced on Feb. 12 to 14 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot said today.
After a one-day bench trial on Aug. 27, 2024, Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris found the defendant, Noblee Rose Littledog, 23, currently of Aberdeen, Washington, guilty of assault resulting in serious bodily injury as charged in an indictment. At sentencing, the court allowed Littledog to self-report to prison.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Dec. 1, 2021, Littledog was driving a 2019 Jeep Cherokee on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation with the victim, a passenger identified as Jane Doe, who was 17 years old. While driving on Badger Creek Road, Littledog attempted to pass two vehicles at the same time while driving 105 mph. Littledog lost control of the vehicle and overcorrected, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and roll several times before coming to rest right side up. Both Littledog and the victim were seriously injured. Jane Doe suffered severe trauma to her lower extremities, underwent multiple surgeries and has permanent damage.
The government presented evidence at trial that seconds before the crash, Littledog was traveling at a minimum speed of 105 mph. The evidence also showed that both occupants were restrained at the time of the crash. Jane Doe reported that Littledog had consumed alcohol on the drive, and Littledog told law enforcement at the hospital that she had consumed two alcoholic beverages approximately 30 to 40 minutes before the crash.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, the Montana Highway Patrol and the FBI, with assistance from the Cut Bank Police Department, conducted the investigation.
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First Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot is now Acting U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS--The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana announced today that First Assistant Timothy J. Racicot is now the Acting U.S. Attorney following the departure of former U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
As Acting U.S. Attorney, Racicot is the chief federal law enforcement official in the state of Montana.
Racicot is a career prosecutor who became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in October 2005. He has served as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney since August 2022.
Racicot received an undergraduate degree from Carroll College and a law degree from the University of Notre Dame.
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Missoula accountant admits defrauding clients; obstructing IRSRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula accountant accused of defrauding clients by using their cash payments intended for income taxes for his own personal expenses admitted today to fraud and obstruction charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, William Arthur Clawson, 54, appeared for an arraignment on an information and pleaded guilty to wire fraud and to corrupt endeavor to obstruct and impede the administration of the internal revenue laws. Clawson faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the wire fraud charge and a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the corrupt endeavor charge.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 24. Clawson was released pending further proceedings.
A plea agreement filed in the case calls Clawson to pay full restitution to the victims of no less than $1,158,811.40.
The government alleged that from about 2016 to 2021, Clawson used his businesses, Quantum Business Solutions and Endeavor Financial Insights, to defraud clients. Clawson offered accounting and tax preparation services to clients in Montana, Washington and Oklahoma, who were engaged in the cash-intensive medical marijuana industry. Clawson promised to assess the taxes owned by his clients and receive cash payments from them that he would use to pay his fees and the taxes they owed. Instead, Clawson paid only a small portion of the taxes his clients owed and used the remainder of the money on his personal expenses and unrelated debts. Through Clawson’s actions, his clients unknowingly fell behind in paying the taxes they owed.
The government further alleged that between 2019 and 2020, one of Clawson’s clients came under IRS scrutiny because of unpaid taxes. An IRS revenue officer contacted the company as part of efforts to collect taxes owed. The company called Clawson, who was serving as its accountant. Clawson instructed the company not to communicate with the IRS officer and said he would take care of the reported issue. Clawson falsely told the IRS officer that the company had cash flow issues that were making it difficult for the company to pay its taxes. Clawson acted corruptly by making other false statements to the IRS officer on the company’s behalf that Clawson knew would impede the government’s tax collection efforts. Clawson did this to conceal his misappropriation of funds the company gave him to pay its taxes.
The U.S. Attorney’s office is prosecuting the case. The IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
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Former U.S. Postal Service employee in Billings admits stealing mailRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A former U.S. Postal Service employee admitted to a theft charge today after he was accused of stealing mail when he tried to sell $850 worth of sports cards to a Billings sports memorabilia business that had attempted to ship the cards to a different customer, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Zachary Louis Simpson, 37, pleaded guilty to theft of mail by employee. Simpson faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Simpson was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that between March 27, 2023 and April 3, 2024, Simpson was employed by the U.S. Postal Service and sorted packages at the mail facility in Billings. Simpson had access to and was entrusted with mail during his shifts at the sorting facility. While employed with the Postal Service, Simpson stole packages from the sorting facility and took them home. On March 12, 2024, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General was contacted regarding Simpson. A sports memorabilia business in Billings notified law enforcement that Simpson came into the store to sell $850 of sports cards. The company realized that it had recently attempted to ship those same cards to a different customer through the mail. An investigation determined that the packages containing these cards had transited the postal sorting facility in Billings on a date Simpson was working. Law enforcement conducted a trash pull at Simpson’s residence and found dozens of empty packages in his trash that were addressed to other people at different locations. Investigators executed a search warrant at Simpson’s residence and seized more than 100 additional empty packages that were not addressed to Simpson. Agents also recovered more than 10,000 sports trading cards and other memorabilia. The Postal Service contacted a number of the victims whose packages were found in Simpson’s possession. Many reported that their packages contained sports trading cards that never reached the intended destination.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, conducted the investigation.
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Pair admit stealing ski boat from St. Mary Lake property on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A man and a woman today admitted they stole a ski boat and trailer from property on St. Mary Lake on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendants, Tiffany Rae Morris, 37, of Shelby, and Levi Jacques Carl Johnson, 44, of Kevin, each pleaded guilty in separate hearings to theft within Indian Country. Morris and Johnson face a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 25. The defendants were released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that on June 9, 2024, Morris and Johnson stole a ski boat and trailer from the property of the victim, identified as John Doe. The property is on St. Mary Lake on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Doe reported the theft to law enforcement and posted about it on Facebook. An investigation identified Morris and Johnson as potential suspects, based on video surveillance. The following day, a landowner in the Cut Bank area notified law enforcement that a boat had been abandoned on his property and that he thought it was the stolen boat. John Doe responded to the scene and identified his boat. The boat’s identifying decals had been removed. In interviews with law enforcement, Morris and Johnson admitted to stealing the boat. After the theft was circulated on Facebook, the defendants wanted to return the boat but were afraid of being apprehended and abandoned it in the field. Johnson reported that the decals came off when he power-washed the boat. The boat was a 2007 Ski-doo Challenger 180, valued at more than $1,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI conducted the investigation.
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Federal jury convicts Florida man of attempting to coerce minor for sex in Missoula undercover investigationRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A federal jury today convicted a Florida man of attempting to coerce a minor for sex after he was arrested in Missoula in an undercover investigation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
After a three-day trial that began on Feb. 10, the jury found the defendant, Stevenson Metelus, 36, of Margate, Florida, guilty of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Metelus faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years to a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 24. Metelus was released pending further proceedings.
“Metelus was a truck driver passing through Montana when he used social media to attempt to coerce a minor to have sex with him. The problem for him was he was unwittingly talking to an undercover law enforcement officer. This is the kind of critical work our office and our law enforcement partners are doing across the state to keep kids safe. Our work will continue, and it can only be done effectively due to the diligence, brilliance, and dedicated service of the people in our office and our law enforcement partners,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The government alleged at trial and in court documents that in October 2023, an FBI special agent, using a persona identified as Child 1, posted on MegaPersonals an advertisement for prostitution services in Missoula, listed the age of Child 1 as “99” and a phone number at which to contact Child 1. Metelus responded to the ad on Nov. 16, 2023 and asked Child 1 what her “specials” were. Metelus spoke with Child 1, eventually negotiating a price and sexual acts to engage in with her. Child 1 noted she was a minor girl. Ultimately, Metelus asked Child 1 to meet him in his truck when he arrived, but Child 1 said she had a room at the hotel and would leave the door open for him. Child 1 then said that she could meet him at a nearby gas station when he expressed concern about the plan. The undercover FBI agent had confidential source call Metelus and, acting as Child 1, spoke briefly with him. The confidential source again told Metelus that she was a minor. The parties then confirmed their plans to meet. Shortly thereafter, Metelus texted Child 1 that he had arrived at the gas station, where law enforcement arrested him. Metelus eventually admitted to law enforcement his intention was to meet Child 1 for commercial sex.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, Missoula Police Department and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Hays man admits manslaughter charge in stabbing on Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Hays man today admitted to fatally stabbing a woman during a quarrel on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Tonylee Andrew Sears, 24, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter as charged in an indictment. Sears faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 18. Sears was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in the early morning hours of Jan. 13, 2024, Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services responded to reports of a stabbing at Sears’ home. Officers encountered Sears, a witness, identified as John Doe, and the victim, identified as Jane Doe. Jane Doe was on the living room floor, bleeding, and was pronounced dead at the scene. In an interview with law enforcement, John Doe said he and Jane Doe had gone to Sears’ house to drink alcohol and hang out and that the victim and Sears argued. The argument escalated, and Sears grabbed a knife and stabbed Jane Doe while she was on the ground. John Doe pulled Sears off the victim and called 911. Sears threw the knife in the kitchen sink. When interviewed, Sears admitted that he and the victim rolled around on the floor after an argument, and he stabbed her. Officers recovered a knife from the kitchen sink. An autopsy report concluded that Jane Doe died from a stab wound.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Kalispell man sentenced to prison for possessing stolen firearmRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Kalispell man who admitted to possessing a stolen gun was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Joseph Christopher Steele, 24, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to possession of a stolen firearm.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in December 2022, a man, identified as John Doe, filed a report with the Kalispell Police Department that his firearm safe containing a .45-caliber pistol and two magazines, along with the title to his pickup truck, had been stolen from his vehicle. Five days later, while investigating an unrelated incident, police officers found Doe’s stolen pickup title in a Subaru that also had been reported stolen. While being interviewed about the Subaru, Steele admitted he had been driving the vehicle but denied knowing it was stolen. Doe’s pickup title was not discussed. In January 2024, Whitefish Police Department officers executed a search warrant on Steele’s residence to locate evidence related to a stolen cell phone. Steele was on state probation at the time. During the search, officers located a pistol in a gun case with two magazines. Based on the gun’s serial number, officers determined the pistol was the firearm Doe had reported stolen.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Kalispell and Whitefish police departments and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 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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Former Whitefish Housing Authority executive director sentenced to prison for embezzling from organization; $144,842 restitution orderedRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — The former executive director of the Whitefish Housing Authority was sentenced today to four months in prison and four months of home confinement, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $144,842 for embezzling from the organization, which receives federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Dwarne Lamont Hawkins, 46, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to theft from organization receiving federal funding.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court also ordered Hawkins to perform 200 hours of community service. Hawkins was allowed to self-report to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
In court documents, the government alleged that from about May 2023 to January 2024, while working as the Whitefish Housing Authority’s executive director, Hawkins embezzled from the organization. The Whitefish Housing Authority provides safe, decent and affordable housing options for low-income families in the Whitefish community and received approximately $468,616 in federal funds from HUD during the period of the indictment. Hawkins stole housing authority money by diverting and inflating payroll, fraudulently paying personal expenses with the Whitefish Housing Authority credit card and creating and paying fraudulent invoices to businesses over which he had control. The investigation identified approximately $144,842 in restitution.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $4,551,419.18 from in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
BILLINGS - U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced today that the District of Montana collected $4,551,419.18 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $3,165,015.74 was collected in criminal actions and $1,386,403.44 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the District of Montana worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $6,803,045.08 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $251,225 was collected in criminal actions and $6,551,820.08 was collected in civil actions.
“These collections come from both criminals who are ordered to pay restitution to victims and fines and from those who owe debts or civil penalties to the American taxpayer. As last year’s numbers reflect, our team of prosecutors, investigators, and staff have great success, and I thank them for their tireless and dedicated service in collecting more than $4.5 million on behalf of crime victims and the American people,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
Funds collected for criminal judgments and paid to victims include:
- $721,739.82 from John Kevin Moore, who was convicted in August 2018 by a federal jury of 21 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, and false statements. Moore was also sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
- $345,932.98 from Joseph Glen Dickey, including the full payment of his $270,807.98 restitution and $75,000 fine. Mr. Dickey was convicted of tax crimes for failing to pay his taxes and was also sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
- $250,000 from Larry Price, Jr., a former official of Signal Peak energy, LLC, who was convicted of fraud and other crimes.
- $100,000 from U.S. Minerals, Inc., which was convicted of negligent endangerment for exposing workers to arsenic at its former Anaconda plant.
Funds collected for civil judgments and paid to victims include:
- $180,000 from Dr. David Bellamah, who agreed to pay more than $3.7 million to settle alleged False Claims Act violations.
- $1,156,929.30 from Kalispell Regional Healthcare, which was the final payment from a 2018 settlement where it agreed to pay more than $1 million for alleged False Claims Act violations.
- $5,394,890.78 from Atlantic Richfield in payment of its multimillion-dollar settlement for cleaning up the Anaconda Smelter Superfund Site.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Montana, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $881,629 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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Pointing laser at aircraft sends Kalispell man to prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Kalispell man who admitted to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft was sentenced today to two and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Nolan Wayne Hamman, 32, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Nov. 25, 2023, a flight instructor operating a plane over Kalispell called 911 to report a person shining a laser pointer at her plane while she was flying with a minor student. Flathead County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded and located Hamman on the ground with the laser pointer. Hamman admitted to shining the laser at the plane while it was in flight. Further, Hamman engaged in this behavior over several months, and evidence demonstrated he pursued these planes because he believed they were tracking him. Hamman’s actions continually endangered multiple pilots, including two juveniles, and the safety of those on the ground in the Kalispell area.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, Federal Aviation Administration, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Kalispell Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Columbus man admits attempted transfer of obscene material to minor in undercover investigationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Columbus man accused of attempting to send obscene material to a minor during an undercover investigation admitted to a charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Jacob Curtis Wyckoff, 25, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Wyckoff faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Wyckoff was released pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that in January 2023, law enforcement in the Billings area set up an undercover operation relating to those with a sexual interest in children. The undercover persona was that of a 14-year-old female. The undercover posed on a social media site and on Jan. 26, 2023, Wyckoff reached out on KIK, using the profile name of “Jake Smith.” The undercover made Wyckoff aware in communications that she was “almost 15.” In communications between the two from January 2023 to July 14, 2023, discussions became increasingly sexual in nature. On multiple occasions, Wyckoff expressed a desire to meet the “child” for a sexual encounter. On July 6, 2023, Wyckoff sent the undercover a picture of his allegedly erect penis in his jeans and made sexually suggestive comments.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Laurel Police Department, and Montana Division of Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. Desoto and pleading not guilty on Jan. 30 was:
Oscar Gonzalez-Perez, 36, of Hesperia, California, on charges of distribution of methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gonzalez-Perez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Gonzalez-Perez was released pending further proceedings. The Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-12.
Nolan A. Anselmi, 28, of Bozeman, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Anselmi faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release on the drug charges and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. Anselmi was released pending further proceedings. The Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-23.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Jan. 30 was:
David Alan Moorse, 39, of Helena, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Moorse faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Moorse was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Montana Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 25-3.
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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Stevensville timber frame home builder convicted of defrauding customers sentenced to more than five years in prison, ordered to pay $1.8 million restitutionRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Stevensville timber frame home builder who was convicted at trial of defrauding customers by using their payments for his own personal expenses instead of building them homes was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison and ordered to pay $1,855,025.25 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
A federal jury in September 2024 convicted the defendant, Brett Mauri, 61, of four counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court also ordered the prison term to be followed by three years of supervised release. The court remanded Mauri to the custody of U.S. Marshals Service.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that Mauri owned and operated Bitterroot Timber Frames (BTF) and Three Mile Creek Post & Beam, LLC. According to Mauri and the company’s website, BTF built custom timber frame homes across the United States. The government alleged that between 2018 and 2022, Mauri defrauded nine individuals who hired him to build their timber frame homes. Mauri obtained payments from these customers and lied to them about his operations and what he was doing with their money. Mauri ultimately provided little to nothing in return. Mauri’s actions affected nine families and hourly employees he failed to pay.
The scheme involved Mauri inducing customers to send him funds, which were ultimately deposited into his or his wife’s bank accounts. Mauri and his wife primarily used the money for personal expenses, shopping sprees and travel instead of building the homes as he promised. What work Mauri did perform on victims’ projects gave his operation the hallmarks of a Ponzi scheme. He frequently solicited new money from a victim and used the funds, in part, to cover past expenses that were often incurred on earlier projects. In exchange, Mauri provided very little materials or services, and some victims received nothing at all. Those who received some construction work were forced to incur significant expenses to correct Mauri’s substandard product and finish their builds or to sell their land when they realized Mauri’s promises would never come to fruition. Victims had hired Mauri to build homes in the Montana communities of Whitehall, Victor, Corvallis and Missoula, and in New York, Utah, and Louisiana.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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Havre meth, fentanyl trafficker sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Havre man who admitted to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in Montana was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Lance Jon Stimson, 33, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force was investigating an individual for distributing fentanyl in Missoula. The investigation showed that the individual supplied Stimson with meth and fentanyl to distribute. In April 2024, officers arrested Stimson for absconding from supervision and located 310 fentanyl pills and 28 grams of heroin in his vehicle. Stimson admitted to working with the individual to distribute more than 7,000 fentanyl pills and 17 ounces of meth between October 2023 and April 2024.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.
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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Assault on woman sends Browning man to prison for more than three yearsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Browning man who admitted to beating and then using a belt to assault a woman on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to three years and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Briar Joseph Crawford, 29, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to assault with a dangerous weapon.
Chief U.S District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 6, 2023, Crawford went to Glacier National Park go fishing with the victim, identified as Jane Doe. After consuming alcohol, Crawford and Doe argued, and the conflict escalated to Crawford assaulting Doe over several hours. At one point, Crawford removed his belt, wrapped it around Doe’s neck, grabbed it and lifted her weight off the ground until she blacked out. Doe suffered numerous injuries from the prolonged assault.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Knife assault on woman on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation sends Box Elder man to prison for more than five yearsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder man who admitted to assaulting a woman by cutting her face with a knife during an argument on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced today to five years and seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Colten Tyrone Small, also known as Colton Swan, 22, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in the early morning hours of May 3, 2023, Small punched the victim, identified as Jane Doe, in the face while he held a butcher knife in a residence in Box Elder, on the Rocky Boy’s Reservation. A witness to the assault told law enforcement that Small sliced Doe’s face in the residence. Small and Doe argued, and the fight got more aggressive. After Small cut Doe’s face, the witness beat up Small. There was some fentanyl and alcohol use occurring at the time. Doe was treated at Northern Montana Hospital in Havre for facial injuries from the knife.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Rocky Boy’s Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
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Helena man sentenced to more than seven years in prison for conviction of firearm crimeRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Helena man who admitted to a firearm crime after a welfare check led to him being arrested on a warrant while attempting to flee officers was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Scott Hamilton, 44, pleaded in October 2024 to receipt of a firearm and ammunition with intent to commit a felony.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that at 4 a.m. on Dec. 20, 2023, law enforcement officers stopped a man wearing dark clothing and carrying a duffel bag on Montana Highway 12 for a welfare check. The man, identified as Hamilton, told officers he had car trouble and was walking to East Helena. Officers learned there was an active warrant for Hamilton out of Broadwater County. When officers attempted to arrest Hamilton, he fled across the highway and dropped his bag as he ran. Officers pursued and arrested Hamilton and recovered the duffle bag. Inside the duffle bag were two firearms, a .22 caliber revolver and a 9mm pistol, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Hamilton had prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Lewis and Clark 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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Helena man admits conspiracy to distribute large quantities of meth, fentanylRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Helena man accused of trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl he received from suppliers in California and Oregon admitted to a conspiracy charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Charles Clifford Hamlin, 61, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Hamlin faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 5. Hamlin was detained pending further proceedings.
In a plea agreement filed in the case, the parties agreed that Hamlin would serve a sentence within a stipulated range of 15 years to 20 years in prison.
In court documents, the government alleged that the Missouri River Drug Task Force and United States Postal Service began investigating Hamlin after they intercepted a package intended for Hamlin in August 2021. The package contained approximately three pounds of meth. Over the next several years, investigators spoke with numerous sources who identified Hamlin as a large-scale narcotics distributor. Two sources worked with Hamlin to bring meth from California to Montana, and one source went to Oregon to obtain meth for Hamlin to distribute. The sources stated the deliveries to Hamlin ranged from between one pound to three pounds.
Another source told investigators about receiving ounces of meth and “rolls” of fentanyl pills regularly from Hamlin. Hamlin received deliveries every two and one-half weeks from a source in Oregon. Each delivery was approximately seven pounds of meth, 4,000 to 7,000 fentanyl pills, two ounces of cocaine and two ounces of heroin.
In December 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Hamlin and his truck was searched based on a suspected probation violation. Officers located approximately 18 grams of meth in his gas tank flap. Investigators also made controlled buys of meth and fentanyl pills from Hamlin. In February 2024, law enforcement stopped an individual in Powell County, and the person had nine pounds of meth and 6,200 fentanyl pills. Approximately six pounds of the meth was destined for Hamlin.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Helena Police Department, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Highway Patrol 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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Browning man sentenced to more than three years in prison for burning woman with hot knife on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Browning man who admitted to burning a woman on the hand with a hot knife in a residence on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Dale Ray Racine, 32, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to assault with a dangerous weapon.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in the early morning hours of Feb. 14, 2024, Racine was drinking at a residence in Browning. The victim, Jane Doe, also was present. At some point, Racine placed a knife in a wood stove until it was red hot. Racine removed the knife from the fire and burned Doe with it. Doe reported to law enforcement and medical providers that Racine was trying to brand her neck. Doe held up her hand to stop the branding, at which point Racine intentionally burned her hand. Doe was treated for second-degree burns to her hand. Racine committed the assault one month after having been released from federal prison and while on supervision for an assault he committed in 2021 in which he repeatedly struck a man in the head with a metal pipe.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and FBI, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, investigated the case.
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Billings man sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking meth, possessing gun on Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A federal judge today sentenced a Billings man who admitted to armed trafficking of methamphetamine and other substances on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, David Victor Fast Horse, 36, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to possession with intent to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that on Aug. 30, 2022, tribal law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a pickup truck on Upper Road on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation because officers believed the driver had a tribal warrant for her arrest. A man jumped out of the front passenger seat and began running. A Rocky Boy’s police officer caught up with the man, later identified as Fast Horse, and found him retreating around a shed. Officers retraced Fast Horse’s path and located a green pistol and black case hidden near a woodpile where he had emerged. Fast Horse said he was given the gun and case and told to run. Officers opened the case and found 18 blue pills, which tested for a mixture of substances, two small baggies with a small amount of meth, a digital scale and a car key. Fast Horse later admitted he sold meth, but not fentanyl, and that he had come to Rocky Boy’s to buy drugs from his friend. Fast Horse is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior federal felony conviction for burglary.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Rocky Boy’s Police Department, FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Washington man admits illegal possession of firearms after being removed from Amtrak train in MontanaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA —A Washington man with a bank robbery conviction admitted today to illegally possessing firearms after law enforcement removed him from an Amtrak train in Libby and found him in possession of multiple guns, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Mallory Nehemiah Brown, 43, of Auburn, Washington, pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Brown faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for May 29 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Brown was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in 2004, Brown was convicted of bank robbery in federal district court in California and prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On Jan. 8, 2024, Brown boarded an Amtrak train in Seattle, Washington, with a black duffel bag and several long boxes. Brown placed his bags and boxes on the luggage rack. The train was bound for Washington, D.C., with a stop in Chicago, Illinois. On Jan. 9, 2024, the train stopped in Libby based on a complaint by other passengers about Brown. Law enforcement removed Brown from the train. The train conductor located Brown’s bags. Inside, he discovered four firearms, ammunition, magazines, a suppressor, eight firearms receivers, night vision goggles, a tactical vest and other assorted accessories. The four firearms were identified as a .22LR HV rifle, which had a serial number; a 12-gauge pump shotgun with an obliterated serial number; a 12-gauge semi-auto shot gun with no visible serial number; and a 9mm semi-auto pistol with no visible serial number. Brown denied the bags belonged to him, however, several Amtrak employees identified Brown as the person who loaded the bags on the train. One of the boxes had a shipping label on it addressed to “Mallory Brown.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Libby Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, FBI and Montana Probation and Parole 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.
Lame Deer woman admits assault charges in rollover crash that injured two passengers on Northern Cheyenne Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lame Deer woman today admitted to assault charges after two passengers were seriously injured when the vehicle she was driving rolled on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Kendra Carol Cook, 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Cook faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on each count.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Cook was detained pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that on May 18, 2023, the FBI received a report that a car driven by Cook had rolled north of Lame Deer, injuring Cook and her two passengers. Cook was under the influence of alcohol at the time. A witness reported finding two women who were injured. The women told her that Cook had left the scene. One of the passengers, Jane Doe 2, was in the back seat, while another passenger, Jane Doe 1, was in the front seat. Cook told Doe 2 that she was drinking whiskey before picking her up. They bought alcohol and were drinking it while driving to Lame Deer. Cook was swerving all over the road, and, in Doe 2’s opinion, intentionally trying to wreck. Cook accelerated and turned the wheel, causing the car to go into a ditch and start flipping. Doe 1 estimated Cook was driving approximately 80 miles and hour and slowed to approximately 60 mph when they started swerving. Doe 1 denied there was any fighting or interfering with Cook. Cook acknowledged being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the wreck and claimed she and the passengers were fighting over the alcohol. Both victims suffered fractures and other serious injuries. The rollover occurred in a 35-mph speed zone.
Browning man sentenced to 20 years in prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in death of man on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Browning man convicted by a federal jury of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a man in his home on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
A jury in September 2024 found the defendant, Douglas Darren Malatare, 59, guilty of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl as charged in an indictment following a three-day trial.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
“Malatare’s fentanyl trafficking resulted in the death of a man who was found dead by his mother. The victim could only afford half a pill from Malatare and it killed him after he ingested it. Fentanyl continues to be our nation’s deadliest illicit drug threat, and it is devastating families and communities, especially in Indian Country. Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue and hold accountable those responsible for poisoning people,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
At trial and in court documents, the government alleged that on Nov. 19, 2022, the mother of the victim, John Doe, 49, with whom she shared a residence, found him deceased in his bathroom. Doe’s body showed no obvious signs of cause of death. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and the Glacier County coroner investigated. In Doe’s bedroom, law enforcement found blue powder and a straw on top of a dresser. Doe’s mother reported that Doe had been at the residence the evening before. That evening, Doe’s friend, Malatare, had visited with Doe outside the residence. Doe and his mother then had dinner, during which she noticed Doe had a hard time staying awake. Doe’s mother found him unresponsive in the bathroom. An autopsy determined that Doe died from acute fentanyl intoxication.
The government further alleged that a law enforcement search of Doe’s cell phone found a text exchange of Malatare asking if Doe was “looking.” Doe responded: “Yeah, I’ll be home. Just got off work. I can only afford half if you can stop by.” Malatare replied, “Watch for me.”
An investigation determined that beginning in at least September 2022, Malatare was bringing fentanyl from Washington to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and made several quick trips back and forth to Washington between September and December 2022. On Dec. 17, 2022, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services made a traffic stop of Malatare, and a K-9 alerted on his vehicle, which was seized for a search warrant. Malatare was arrested tribally for fentanyl pills he had in his personal pouch that he sought to take with him. While in the Browning jail, Malatare bragged to a cellmate that he was buying pills in Washington and selling them in Montana for much higher rates. Law enforcement found hundreds of fentanyl pills in a search of Malatare’s vehicle.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, DEA, and FBI conducted the investigation.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Jan. 21 was:
Jared Cordell Stewart, 53, of Crow Agency, on charges of abusive sexual contact of a minor and sexual abuse of a minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, Stewart faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years of supervised release. Stewart was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 25-10.
Shawn Leon Anderson, 54, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Anderson faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release. Anderson was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-38.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Jan. 21 was:
Stephen Joe Boardner, 61, of Columbia Falls, on charges of conspiracy to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Boardner faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Boardner was detained pending further proceedings. The Northwest Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 22-36.
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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Receipt of child pornography sends Indiana man to prison for 10 yearsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — An Indiana man who admitted to possessing child pornography after investigators in Bozeman found thousands of images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his cell phone was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Todd Schannen Pearson, 55, of Indianapolis, Indiana, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to possession of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court also ordered $42,000 restitution.
The government alleged in court documents that in June 2020, Verizon reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a user had uploaded to its cloud storage five files that depicted a prepubescent minor engaged a lascivious display of her genital area. An investigation by the Bozeman Police Department determined that Pearson owned the account and that he had uploaded other images to Verizon’s cloud storage. In September 2021, Bozeman police seized a cell phone from Pearson’s person in Bozeman, and a forensic analysis revealed Pearson’s phone contained at least an additional 10,002 images and 84 videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These images were transported to Pearson’s cell phone using the internet.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bozeman Police Department, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Montana Sexual and Violent Offender Registry 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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Dillon meth, fentanyl trafficker sentenced to more than 11 years in prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Dillon man who admitted to trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl he obtained in Washington for distribution in southwest Montana was sentenced today to 11 years and three months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Jason Louie Tong, 50, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in March 2023, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation learned that Tong was distributing drugs in southwest Montana. Law enforcement recovered drugs from Tong’s vehicle twice in 2023, and during a third stop in 2023, officers arrested him and recovered drugs from his vehicle. Tong took at least four trips to Washington in 2023 to procure meth and fentanyl, with each trip yielding between five and 10 pounds of meth and 10,000 to 50,000 fentanyl pills.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Montana Highway Patrol, Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office, Butte Silver Bow Law Enforcement and Idaho State Police 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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Former nurse practitioner in Butte sentenced to five years in prison, ordered to pay more than $600,000 restitution for health care fraudRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A former nurse practitioner in Butte was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for falsely billing an insurance company approximately $62 million for vitamin B-12 injections in which she received approximately $613,108 for the false claims, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Tristan Ashley Svejkovsky, 41, pleaded guilty in August 2024 to health care fraud and to use of a registration number issued to another person.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court also ordered $613,108 in restitution. The court allowed Svejkovsky to self-report to the U.S. Marshals Service.
The government alleged in court documents that Svejkovsky was a nurse practitioner whose license was suspended by the Montana Board of Nursing on April 1, 2022. Svejkovsky continued to prescribe controlled substances using her own name and Drug Enforcement Administration registration number until June 2022. After contact by the DEA, Svejkovsky agreed to voluntarily surrender her DEA registration. However, Svejkovsky continued to prescribe controlled substances using the name and DEA registration number of a friend who also was nurse practitioner. Svejkovsky misrepresented to her friend that her nursing license was on probation, not suspended, and that she would not use her friend’s information to prescribe drugs. In fact, Svejkovsky used her friend’s DEA registration number to write at least 28 prescriptions for controlled substances.
The government further alleged that Svejkovsky falsely billed Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana for 158 vitamin B-12 injections that did not occur and stole $613,108 from the insurance company. In August 2021, Svejkovsky started falsely increasing the number of units of a standard vitamin B-12 injection from one unit to 1,000 units, thereby increasing the payment from the insurance company for each injection from roughly $4.88 to $4,880. After her license was suspended, Svejkovsky started submitting numerous such claims each month to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana by backdating claims to supposedly before her license was suspended. This conduct continued through May 2022, when Svejkovsky submitted four claims, this time claiming $15 million per vitamin B-12 injection to a new patient. In total, Svejkovsky billed the insurance company $62,310,000 in fraudulent claims for false vitamin B-12 injections and stole $613,108 from the insurance company.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA and FBI conducted the investigation.
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