District of Montana

BILLINGS — A Kansas man accused of devising a scheme to steal from Montana and Wyoming ranchers who were trying to find hay to feed their livestock during a drought admitted to a fraud charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Jory D. Parks, 43, of Logan, Kansas, was arraigned on and pleaded guilty to an information charging him with wire fraud. Parks faces a maximum of 20 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. Parks was released pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that a drought in the summer of 2021 created a hay shortage for ranchers in Montana and Wyoming, and ranchers were struggling to find enough hay to feed their livestock. During this time, Parks intentionally devised a scheme to defraud these ranchers. Parks advertised on Facebook, claiming that he was selling large amounts of hay and was willing to deliver to Montana and Wyoming from out of state. Parks, operating as Heart Cross Ranch, LLC, received money from customers in exchange for promises to deliver hay. Instead, Parks used the money for unrelated business and personal expenses and made false promises about what he would deliver and the scale and success of his business.

In September 2021, when Parks was trying to convince a prospective customer that he had a successful business selling high-quality hay, he told the victim that he had sold all his hay the previous year to a known horse racing facility in Nebraska to feed racehorses. After interviewing the CEO of the facility and analyzing Parks’ financials, the FBI determined that Parks’ statements were false.

In Montana, a ranching business owned by a couple in Ingomar responded to one of Parks’ Facebook ads in which he claimed to be selling hay cheaper than they had been able to find. The couple signed a contact with Parks to buy 190 tons of hay from Parks for $43,300 and mailed half of the amount, $21,650, as a down payment to Heart Cross Ranch. Parks deposited the check into his business account in a bank in Colorado. Three weeks later, Parks delivered the couple’s first shipment of 23 tons of the 190 tons they had purchased but never delivered the additional hay or repaid the remainder of the downpayment.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.

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MISSOULA — A federal jury on Monday convicted a Bozeman felon of illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition after a Gallatin County Sheriff’s deputy went to serve an arrest warrant and found the defendant armed, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

After a one-day trial on July 15, the jury found the defendant, Perry Edward Carson, 46, guilty of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Carson faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Dec. 5. Carson was detained pending further proceedings.

“Felons illegally possessing firearms, like Carson did, are a threat to public safety, and in this case, Carson’s conduct posed a threat to a law enforcement officer when he was attempting to serve an arrest warrant. Keeping guns out of the hands of prohibited persons is critical to reducing overall gun violence. I thank our prosecution team, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their diligent work on this case,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on March 15, a Gallatin County Sheriff’s deputy went to Carson’s camper to execute an arrest warrant. Carson saw the deputy arrive and told him he was going to put down his gun out of respect and asked the deputy to do the same. Carson entered his camper, went out of sight and then returned to the open door. Carson refused to exit the camper. The deputy directed Carson several times to stay away from the firearm and exit the camper. Eventually, Carson was tased and taken into custody. The deputy obtained a search warrant for the camper and found a 9mm pistol that had a magazine and ammunition. Carson was convicted of a felony drug crime in Pennsylvania and sentenced in 1999.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office 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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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared recently 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 July 11 was:

Kaitlyn Beth Cochran, 33, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Cochran faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Cochran was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations, the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Billings Police Department and Bozeman Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-68.

Shanley Leonard Bighorn, 39, a transient, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bighorn faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Bighorn was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-49.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on July 1 was:

Owen David James, 50, of Dillon, on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, James faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charges and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other crime, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. James was released pending further proceedings. 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 investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-19.

The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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GREAT FALLS — An East Helena man suspected of firing a gun during a robbery of a gas station in Townsend admitted to a firearms charge on July 10, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

The defendant, Samuel James Collins, 34, pleaded guilty to possessing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Collins faces a mandatory minimum of 10 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 Nov. 24. Collins was detained pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that on Oct. 16, 2023, Broadwater County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a reported armed robbery at the Town Pump gas station in Townsend. Two employees were present during the robbery and told law enforcement that a man entered wearing a hooded blanket coat, was not wearing pants or shoes, and fired a round from a pistol. The suspect demanded money, and the employees complied. The suspect left in a Ford F-150 pickup with an estimated $330 in cash. Video surveillance from the business captured the incident:

Approximately 20 minutes later, Meagher County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop of a truck matching the description of the truck used in the robbery. The driver was identified as Collins. During Collins’ arrest, deputies saw a pistol, cash and a shell casing inside the truck. In a subsequent search of the truck, law enforcement seized a loaded 9mm pistol, $329 in U.S. currency, a purple hooded sweatshirt, a white hat and other items. Further investigation determined that a bullet and shell casing found at the Town Pump were fired from a 9mm pistol found in the truck Collins was driving.             

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Broadwater County Sheriff’s Office, Meagher County Sheriff’s Office, FBI 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

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GREAT FALLS — A Browning man who admitted to shooting and wounding a man in the head on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to five years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Joseph Paul Vandenberg, 21, pleaded guilty in March to assault with a dangerous weapon and to using a firearm during a crime of violence as charged in an indictment.

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

The government alleged in court documents that in the early morning hours of March 11, 2022 in Browning, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Vandenberg was a backseat passenger in a vehicle that was cruising around when the driver pulled up and blocked the driveway of a home. The victim, identified as John Doe, and a friend, got into an SUV that was backed into the driveway. Doe tried to maneuver around the vehicle. Vandenberg opened the back door of the vehicle, pulled out a firearm and fired a round as Doe’s vehicle was driving away. The bullet grazed the side of Doe’s head and lodged in the dashboard at the base of the windshield. Doe was treated for a large laceration on his head. Vandenberg admitted to being the shooter and told law enforcement that the driver told him to shoot, and he did because he was scared.

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

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MISSOULA — A Missoula man who admitted to trafficking fentanyl pills in the community was sentenced today to seven years and four months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant Shayden Bradley Westfall, 28, pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

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

The government alleged law enforcement learned that Westfall was at a Missoula hotel with distribution quantities of drugs and executed a search warrant on Westfall’s room in December 2022. Officers located approximately 500 fentanyl pills and a quarter pound of methamphetamine. Westfall also had a .40-caliber pistol he admitted had been traded for fentanyl pills.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Missoula Police Department conducted the investigation.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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MISSOULA — A Bozeman man who admitted assaulting a woman passenger while on a flight from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Bozeman was sentenced today to two years of probation and fined $2,500, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Hunter Andrew Dietrich, 33, pleaded guilty in March to assault onboard an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, a misdemeanor.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court also ordered $1,704 restitution to the airline.

In court documents, the government alleged that on Feb. 11, 2023, SkyWest Flight 3789 operating as Delta Connections traveled from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Bozeman. During the flight, Dietrich, a passenger, was disruptive, assaulted numerous individuals and disobeyed repeated instructions from the flight crew to behave. The investigation found that Dietrich kissed a flight attendant on the head while touching her buttocks, and, while sitting next to a female passenger, he put his hands between her legs and his arm around her shoulder after being told not to. Dietrich continued this behavior while the plane was on approach, and he appeared to be intoxicated.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Bozeman Airport Police conducted the investigation.

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GREAT FALLS — A New Mexico man accused of stealing 100-year-old items, including letters by the wife of Western artist Charlie “C.M.” Russell, from the Montana Historical Society and selling them for a profit on eBay admitted today to a theft crime, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Brian Anthony D’Ambrosio, 49, of Sante Fe, New Mexico, pleaded guilty to theft of major artwork. D’Ambrosio faces a maximum of 10 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 Nov. 13. D’Ambrosio’s release was continued pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that D’Ambrosio, while claiming to conduct research at the Montana Historical Society, a museum located in Helena, stole items from the archives from about April 2022 to September 2023. The stolen items included letters written by Nancy Russell, the wife of renowned Western artist Charlie “C.M.” Russell. The stolen items were more than 100 years old, were of cultural heritage and exceeded $5,000 in value. D’Ambrosio then sold and attempted to sell the stolen items for profit on eBay. An undercover FBI agent posed as a would-be purchaser to confirm D’Ambrosio was the individual stealing the items from the Montana Historical Society and selling or attempting to sell the items on eBay for a profit, none of which was authorized.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Helena Police Department conducted the investigation.

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MISSOULA — A Mexican citizen who lived part-time in Stevensville, Montana, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for taking videos of himself having sex with a minor girl in Mexico and viewing the material while in Montana, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Efren Zanabriga Zuniga, 36, of Oaxaca, Mexico, pleaded guilty in February to production of child pornography.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court also ordered $3,000 restitution.

In court documents, the government alleged that in September 2023, Homeland Security Investigations received several CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding files depicting a minor female and adult male engaged in sexually explicit conduct that were uploaded to a Google Drive account. An investigation determined the Google Drive account belonged to Zuniga and that he was the adult male depicted in the videos and images while the victim was a minor girl. Zuniga, who worked part of the year in the United States on a work visa, would return to Mexico where he would create the images and videos using a cell phone. When he returned to Montana, he viewed the material on his Google Drive account, where he had placed the files.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. HSI and Missoula Police Department conducted the investigation.

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

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UPDATED to correct name of business as Glacier Peaks Casino and Hotel

GREAT FALLS — A Heart Butte man accused of stabbing an employee of the Glacier Peaks Casino and Hotel while in the business admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Kal William Runningcrane, 27, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Runningcrane faces a maximum of 10 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 Nov. 7. Runningcrane’s release was continued pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that in the early morning hours of Feb. 25, Runningcrane stabbed a Glacier Peaks employee, identified as John Doe, with a knife. Runningcrane had been drinking for several hours with family and friends to celebrate his birthday. The group was listening to live music, and Doe was sitting alone at an adjacent table. Without provocation, Runningcrane walked to Doe’s table, approached from the side and stabbed Doe in the neck. Doe tried to stand and fight back, and Runningcrane stabbed him in the abdomen. Doe grabbed Runningcrane’s wrist, trying to disarm him, and was able to get away. The knife fell to the ground. Runningcrane left the scene and was arrested later that night miles from Browning, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, where the casino is located. Doe was rushed to the hospital and then life-flighted to Great Falls for treatment of wounds.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and Pondera County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

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GREAT FALLS — A Fort Belknap man accused of stabbing a woman multiple times during an argument admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Leon Boyd Messerly, 63, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Messerly faces a maximum of 10 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 Nov. 2. Messerly was detained pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that on July 13, 2023 in their home on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, Messerly and the victim, identified as Jane Doe, got into a fight. Jane Doe stated that Messerly was angry at her for not protecting his son and punched her in the face. Messerly also grabbed a chef’s knife and stabbed Jane Doe multiple times in her neck, back and left arm. Messerly then went to a friend’s house and told the friend that he had stabbed Jane Doe. The friend checked on Jane Doe, saw her with stab wounds and drove her to the emergency room. Jane Doe was transported to a hospital in Great Falls where she underwent multiple surgeries.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Police Department conducted the investigation.

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MISSOULA — A researcher at the University of Montana on June 27 admitted to charges of falsifying documents in a federal investigation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said  today.

The defendant, Braxton Alan Norwood, 43, of Marburg, Germany, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with falsification of records in a federal investigation. Norwood faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least three years of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Oct. 30. Norwood was released pending further proceedings.

In a plea agreement filed in the case, the parties agree that Norwood is responsible for complete restitution and that restitution totals $165,446. If the court accepts the plea agreement at sentencing, the government will move to dismiss the indictment.

In court documents, the government alleged that Norwood was owner and CEO of Expesicor LLC, which conducted neurological disorder research at the University of Montana in Missoula. Expesicor received federal grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Norwood was designated the principal investigator, a position that directs a grant project, for federal research grants awarded to Expesicor. Between 2019 and 2021, Expesicor received $515,163 in federal grant funding from the National Institutes of Health. As further alleged, Norwood used Lab Surplus to purchase items on behalf of Expesicor. Over time, suspicions arose over Norwood’s claimed purchases, and federal agencies began an investigation. During the investigation, Norwood knowingly provided a document to case agents that included materially false information.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.

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BILLINGS — A Washington man who came to the Crow Indian Reservation to distribute methamphetamine in a large-scale conspiracy was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his conviction of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Daniel Jiminez-Chavez, aka Raton, 40, of Okanogan, Washington, and a Mexican citizen, pleaded guilty in January to possession with intent to distribute meth.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

The government alleged in court documents that federal law enforcement, in a collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, conducted a large-scale, 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 Indian Reservations from about January 2022 through March 2023. Jiminez-Chavez is one of approximately two dozen individuals associated with the investigation.

The government alleged Jiminez-Chavez was among the top tier of the conspiracy and came to Lodge Grass, on the Crow Indian Reservation, from Washington in about February 2023 to distribute meth and act as a caretaker. He had no ties to Montana other than a directive to look after one of the houses involved in conspiracy and sell drugs for a co-conspirator. Jiminez-Chavez began staying at a house known as the Bloodman residence, which was near Spear Siding. While at the residence, Jiminez-Chavez distributed meth to approximately six others in the case with assistance from another co-conspirator, who translated for him. Jiminez-Chavez was in Montana about two months before his arrest. Jiminez-Chavez was responsible for distributing at least 4.5 kilograms, which is almost 10 pounds, of meth in a two-month period. Ten pounds of meth is the equivalent of approximately 36,240 doses.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI 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.

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BILLINGS — Today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich, for the District of Montana, announced criminal charges against a Whitefish physician in connection with alleged schemes to defraud Medicare and other government health program. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Justice Department’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action. The charges stem from fraudulently charging Medicare and other government health programs for telemedicine office visits that did not occur.

“It does not matter if you are a trafficker in a drug cartel or a corporate executive or medical professional employed by a health care company, if you profit from the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, you will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will bring to justice criminals who defraud Americans, steal from taxpayer-funded programs, and put people in danger for the sake of profits.”

“As alleged, the defendant, Ronald David Dean, falsely billed Medicare and other health programs so he could enrich himself by diverting government health care funds meant to help elderly and disabled persons. Specifically, we allege he billed for telemedicine visits that did not occur and signed orders for durable medical equipment and covid-19 tests patients did not need, all of which resulted in over $39 million in false billing. As this action shows, we are committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting those who try to defraud our health care programs,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

An information charging Dean, along with a plea agreement, was filed on June 24. An arraignment and plea hearing are scheduled for July 17 in U.S. District Court in Missoula.

The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Laslovich are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.

The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Connecticut, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District to Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and South Dakota are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.

The District of Montana, in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) and Railroad Retirement Board Office of Inspector General.

“We will not tolerate fraud that preys on patients who need and deserve high quality health care,” said the Honorable Christi A. Grimm, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The hard work of the HHS-OIG team and our outstanding law enforcement partners makes today’s action possible.  We must protect taxpayer dollars and keep Americans safe from harms to their health, privacy, and financial well-being.”

“The defendant’s agreement to plead guilty will hold him accountable for his fraudulent actions and reflects the magnitude of the crime committed against CHAMPVA and Medicare,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Molly King of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office.  “The VA OIG’s continued oversight of VA’s multiple healthcare programs is one of the agency’s highest priorities. We thank our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this joint investigation.”

The following individual has been charged in the District of Montana:

Ronald David Dean, 64, of Whitefish, Montana, a licensed physician, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a telemedicine scheme.  As alleged in the information, Dean was paid by a telemedicine company to sign orders for durable medical equipment that patients did not need.  Dean then fraudulently charged Medicare and other government health programs for telemedicine office visits that did not occur.  The telemedicine company also used Dean’s information to prescribe unneeded and unnecessary covid tests to patients.  In total, Dean’s order resulted in false billing to government health care programs of over $39 million.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana is prosecuting the case.

A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man who admitted assaulting another man with a baseball bat on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and illegally possessing ammunition was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Paul Joseph Valenzuela, 56, pleaded guilty in January to assault resulting in serious bodily injury and to prohibited person in possession of ammunition.

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

The government alleged in court documents, that on Aug. 23, 2023, Valenzuela and others went to the victim’s residence on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Valenzuela and others assaulted the victim, identified as John Doe, with a baseball bat. John Doe suffered serious injuries, including multiple fractured bones. When law enforcement searched Valenzuela’s residence, they located 60 rounds of ammunition. Valenzuela was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of multiple prior felony convictions.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.

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MISSOULA — A federal jury on June 25 convicted a Missoula man accused of armed methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking in the Missoula area of multiple drug and firearms crimes, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

After a two-day trial that began on June 24, the jury found Keith Andre Green, 50, guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of firearms and ammunition in furtherance of a drug trafficking crimes as charged in an indictment. Green faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the conspiracy charge 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 firearms and ammunition 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 Oct. 22. Green was detained pending further proceedings.

“The jury’s guilty verdicts on all three counts validate our relentless efforts to hold accountable those who are responsible for flooding our communities with methamphetamine and fentanyl. The quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficked by Green were staggering and poisoned far too many Montanans. And his use of guns as currency while trafficking his drugs means he will spend even more time in federal prison when he’s sentenced. These verdicts would not have occurred without our federal prosecutors, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Missoula County Attorney's Office, for which I am grateful,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that from about May 2022 until September 2023, Green and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Missoula and Mineral counties and possessed firearms while trafficking drugs. Law enforcement received information that Green was a major meth and fentanyl distributor and that he went to Spokane, Washington, three to five days a week and received about one pound of meth and a boat of fentanyl, which is 1,000 pills, on each trip. Green also traded drugs for firearms. Law enforcement executed search warrants in February 2023 on Green’s vehicle and residence and another search warrant on his residence in September 2023. Officers seized a total of 4,205 fentanyl pills and approximately 2,204 grams, which is approximately 4.8 pounds, of meth. Officers located approximately six firearms and ammunition at his residence.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Missoula County Attorney’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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MISSOULA — A former Bureau of Land Management employee who admitted to stealing thousands of dollars by forging a co-worker’s signature on government checks was sentenced today to two years and seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Adrian Anthony Aragon, 53, of Butte, pleaded guilty in February to theft of government money and aggravated identity theft.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court also ordered $8,600 restitution.

In court documents, the government alleged that Aragon worked for the BLM in 2019 and 2020 until he was federally prosecuted for repeatedly using his employee travel card for personal expenses. After being released from custody and while on federal supervised release, Aragon forged the signature of a former co-worker on stolen BLM checks and incurred more than $10,000 in losses in the co-worker’s name. Aragon used the stolen money for personal expenses including cash withdrawals, bills, restaurants, grocery stores and Amazon purchases. The former co-worker said Aragon had access to her checks during his employment and made schedule changes that resulted in him being the first or last person to leave the office.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Department of Interior Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.

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GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder man convicted by a federal jury of sexually abusing two children at a residence on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced on June 25 to 30 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

After a two-day trial, a jury found Shawn Saddler, Sr., 57, guilty on Feb. 7 of aggravated sexual abuse and two counts of abusive sexual contact.

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

“Saddler sexually abused little girls who were too young to understand what he was doing and too small to stop him. Saddler’s crimes inflicted serious trauma on them, and their lives will never be the same due to his abuse. I hope they find a small degree of comfort knowing he will rightfully spend the next 30 years in federal prison, where he will be unable to hurt them or any other children again,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

The government alleged in court documents and at trial that in 2022 in a residence in Box Elder, on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, Saddler sexually molested and abused two girls multiple times. Both victims were under the age of 12 years at the time.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Rocky Boy’s Police Department conducted the investigation.

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GREAT FALLS — A Browning man who admitted to strangling and beating a dating partner, causing serious injury, was sentenced today to four years and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

The defendant, Emerson John No Runner, Jr., 48, pleaded guilty in February to assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault of a dating partner by strangulation and suffocation.

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

The government alleged in court documents that in March 2022 in Browning, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, No Runner and his then-girlfriend, identified as Jane Doe, had been drinking together and had slept at a relative’s trailer. The two were alone when No Runner started arguing with Jane Doe about perceived infidelity. No Runner straddled Jane Doe on a mattress, placed his hands around her neck and applied pressure. Jane Doe lost consciousness and woke up in a pool of blood. Jane Doe also found pieces of wood in her hair. Officers seized a piece of wood with apparent blood and hair. Jane Doe suffered a brain injury and bruising on her neck. In a Facebook message to Jane Doe in December 2023, No Runner referenced the assault, stating, “the plan was to kill you that day should of, so bye bitch.”

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

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GREAT FALLS — A Browning man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced on Monday to four years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

The defendant, Robbie Wayne Racine, 31, pleaded guilty in January to possession with intent to distribute meth.

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

The government alleged in court documents that in the spring of 2023, Racine was stopped in multiple vehicles containing meth and other evidence of his distribution. In April 2023, Racine was stopped for a traffic violation along with his co-defendant. Both occupants were arrested. More than 15 grams of meth was seized from the co-defendant’s person while being booked into jail. A search of the vehicle also yielded evidence of distribution, including baggies and a digital scale.  A month later, Racine was driving a different vehicle when he was again stopped by Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services for a traffic violation and was arrested. Racine had a scale in his pocket. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and seized more than 170 grams of meth in a safe concealed as a book.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

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GREAT FALLS — A Poplar man who admitted to beating a woman on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced on June 20 to 15 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

The defendant, Thomas Ivan Reese Larson, 25, pleaded guilty in February to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

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

The government alleged in court document that in January 2021 in Poplar, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Larson assaulted the victim, identified as Jane Doe, during an argument while he was intoxicated. Larson held the victim by her throat and struck her in the face, causing multiple injuries to her face and neck.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.

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GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man admitted on June 20 to trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl after a law enforcement investigation determined he was dealing large quantities of drugs in the community and found two pounds of meth wired under his truck, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, John Mead Ogburn, 45, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl. Ogburn faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.

Under the terms of a plea agreement, the parties agreed that a prison sentence in the range of 12 years and seven months to 15 years and eight months is an appropriate sentence to resolve the case.

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 Oct. 24. Ogburn was detained pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that in September and October 2023, drug task officers in Great Falls learned Ogburn was a source of supply of meth and fentanyl. In November 2023, officers intercepted a UPS package that contained 1,757 fentanyl pills. The package was intended to be delivered to a Great Falls address of an individual, who admitted knowing the package contained fentanyl and who identified Ogburn as arranging for the shipment. In December 2023, officers received information that another individual possessed a large quantity of fentanyl powder. Officers executed a search warrant on the individual’s residence and recovered approximately one pound of meth and 55 grams of fentanyl powder. Officers observed Ogburn at the individual’s home before and after the search, and the individual later told officers that the drugs were intended for Ogburn. On Feb. 9, law enforcement conducted an interdiction stop on Interstate 90 of two vehicles associated with Ogburn, an Acura and a Dodge truck. A search of the vehicles found approximately two pounds of meth wired under the truck. Ogburn admitted on a recorded jail call that he was responsible for placing the meth under the truck.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Russell Country Drug Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office 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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GREAT FALLS — A Reed Point man on June 18 admitted to possessing stolen firearms found in a stolen vehicle that crashed near Helena following a pursuit, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

Jarred Lane Saunders, 25, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen firearms. Saunders faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and there 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 Oct. 2. Saunders was detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that on Oct. 12, 2022, Billings police officers responded to a local hotel where 23 firearms had been stolen from a vehicle parked in its lot. The lawful owners provided a list of the stolen firearms. Saunders likely stole the 23 firearms because his fingerprints were found at the scene. Saunders then brought stolen firearms and fentanyl in a stolen car to Helena. On Oct. 15, 2022, the Montana Highway Patrol initiated a pursuit of a stolen Mercedes, which had been taken in Billings on Oct. 11, 2022. The Mercedes eventually crashed in a private driveway, and Saunders was arrested by Helena police officers. At his arrest, Saunders complained that he ingested 15 to 20 fentanyl pills. A search warrant was executed on the Mercedes, and officers found approximately 300 fentanyl pills, a small amount of methamphetamine and a .22-caliber pistol that had been stolen from the vehicle in Billings. A witness told Billings police of seeing Saunders with three duffle bags full of guns. That person received three of the firearms knowing they were stolen.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Billings Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Helena Police Department conducted the investigation.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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BILLINGS — A Billings man convicted for his role in two bank robberies within days of each other 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, Steven Whitecloud, 88, pleaded guilty in February to bank robbery.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court also ordered $3,092 restitution. Whitecloud was ordered to report to the U.S. Marshals Service pending designation to a Bureau of Prisons medical facility.

The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 24, 2023, co-defendant Patrick Justice entered U.S. Bank, on Grand Avenue in Billings, presented the teller a note that demanded money, received money and fled in a Ford Taurus. Four days later, on Aug. 28, 2023, Justice entered Wells Fargo Bank, on Main Street, and again presented a demand note to the teller and told the teller he was “strapped,” which the teller interpreted as he was armed with a gun. The teller gave Justice money, and he fled. As officers responded to the scene, they spotted a green Taurus matching the description from the first bank robbery. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, and, after a pursuit, pulled over the vehicle and detained Justice and Whitecloud. Whitecloud told officers he suggested he and Justice rob banks to make money, as he had done in the past. Whitecloud was convicted in 2008 of bank robbery. Whitecloud admitted he showed Justice what banks to rob and acted as the getaway driver. Justice was sentenced to two years in prison for his conviction in the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.

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GREAT FALLS — A Malta man admitted today to illegally possessing a silencer after law enforcement served a search warrant at his residence and found numerous firearms, a suppressor, drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

Deric Ron Welch, 36, pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered silencer. Welch faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $10,000 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 Oct. 23. Welch was released pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that on May 27, 2023 in Malta, law enforcement responded to a domestic violence call at Welch’s residence, and a state search warrant was obtained for the residence. Law enforcement recovered numerous firearms, one suppressor, drug paraphernalia and meth. An investigation determined that the silencer found in the search was a device for silencing or muffling a firearm and was not registered as required by federal law.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Phillips 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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GREAT FALLS — A Browning man who admitted to beating an elderly small business owner while demanding money was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Frederick Melvin Noon, Jr., 39, pleaded guilty in January to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court also ordered Noon pay $2,500 for reported lost wages.

In court documents, the government alleged that on March 21, 2023, Noon assaulted the victim, identified as John Doe, a small business owner who was in his 70s, while demanding money. Noon was intoxicated when he walked into the business and demanded money. When Doe refused, Noon became angry and started demanding that Doe retrieve money from a back room. Doe gave Noon a few dollars, but Doe was unsatisfied and began assaulting Doe. Noon grabbed Doe by the head and started scratching him, then threw him to the ground. Doe suffered broken bones and underwent surgery for injuries from the assault.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation.

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BILLINGS — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich, for the District of Montana, joins national, state, local, and Tribal leaders in recognizing Saturday, June 15, as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Since 2006, WEAAD has been commemorated to promote awareness and increase understanding of the many forms of elder abuse as well as the resources available to those at risk.

Highlighting the partnership between law enforcement and the public, U.S. Attorney Laslovich emphasized the importance of awareness and education.

“Our office is committed to preventing abuse and neglect of older adults, and to prosecuting those who try to take advantage of them, whether physically, psychologically, or financially. I urge everyone to help us stop this abuse by checking in on older adults who may have few friends or family members, watching for unusual financial transactions, and reporting abuse or suspected abuse to local adult protective services, long-term care ombudsmen, or law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual or psychological. The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat elder abuse.

The Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force marshals federal and state agencies working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard against both traditional scams, like tech support fraud, as well as trending schemes, such as romance scams.

Using one scam to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, scammers recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that avoid notice. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participation in perpetuating fraud.

To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about tactics used in specific schemes.

To learn more about the department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.

The District of Montana continues to work with federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute elder abuse crimes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office recently prosecuted and convicted individuals in two cases involving elderly victims.

In one case, a daughter was sentenced to prison for stealing more than $700,000 from her elderly mother while serving as her caregiver. https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/daughter-who-stole-more-700000-elderly-mother-lewistown-while-serving-caregiver

In another case, two men were sentenced to prison for their role in an India-based computer hacking scam that targeted elderly victims nationwide and stole $150,000 from a Kalispell woman. https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/india-based-computer-hacking-scam-targeted-elderly-across-country-and-stole-150000

To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov. 

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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 Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on June 11 was:

Ashley Jocelyn Cortez, 24, of Box Elder, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Cortez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five 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. Cortez was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Havre Police Department, Hill County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Rocky Boy’s Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-46.

Brooke Olson Newton, 29, of Bainville, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Newton faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Newton was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Valley County Sheriff’s Office, Phillips County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Peck Police Department and Williston, N.D., Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-35.

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on June 13 was:

Kyle Thomas Ball, 22, of Billings, on charges of false statement during a firearms transaction and possession of firearm with obliterated serial number. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ball faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Ball was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 24-64.

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 — An Oklahoma man convicted by a federal jury in Montana of failing to register as a sex offender after moving to the Billings area and despite repeated orders to do so was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Windelyn Valdo Shoulderblade, Jr., 33, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was convicted of failure to register as a sex offender on Jan. 30, following a two-day jury trial.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court ordered the sentence to run consecutive to other cases pending in Oklahoma.

“For years, Shoulderblade refused to comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), while continuing to commit sex offenses and exhibiting public displays of sexual deviancy. By not registering as required by law, Shoulderblade posed a constant threat to community safety. But not anymore, as he will spend the next seven years in federal prison due to aggressive and effective work of our federal prosecutors, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Northern Cheyenne SORNA Compliance Office, and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

“Since the passage of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act in July 2006, the U.S. Marshals Service, nationally and in Montana, has vigorously pursued those who have failed to stay compliant with the legal requirements of their registration. We will continue to do so. This sentence was the culmination of some great collaboration among several federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement entities and is a good example of how, when all of us work together, we can make our communities a safer and better place to live,” said U.S. Marshal Craig Anderson.

In court documents, the government alleged that Shoulderblade was convicted of felony sexual battery in Oklahoma in 2014 and was required by law to register as a sex offender under SORNA. The government further alleged that from about December 2022 to November 2023 in Montana, Shoulderblade knowingly failed to register and update his sex offender registration. Since his 2014 conviction, Shoulderblade continued exhibiting predacious behavior while refusing to comply with his sex offender registration requirements. While out of compliance with his registration requirements, Shoulderblade spent years committing additional sex crimes. Shoulderblade moved to Montana in December 2022 and had contacts with law enforcement in Billings and on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. Despite instructions to register by a Northern Cheyenne SORNA compliance officer and the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Shoulderblade never did. After relocating to Billings, Shoulderblade had frequent, near-weekly contact with local law enforcement between March 2023 and July 2023.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Marshals Service, Northern Cheyenne SORNA Compliance Office and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

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BILLINGS — A Canadian national who is accused of traveling to Montana to engage in illicit sexual conduct and was arrested in Billings in an undercover investigation appeared for arraignment today on charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Andrew Scott Brown, 43, of Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Canada, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with attempted coercion and enticement, three counts of distribution of child pornography and travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brown faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release.

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

In court documents, the government alleged that from Jan. 27 through May 6, at Billings and in Canada, Brown used the internet and a cellular telephone to attempt to entice and coerce an individual he believed had not attained the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity. Brown also is accused of sending images that contain Child Sexual Abuse Material to an undercover law enforcement persona. In January, an undercover detective with the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office posted a message on a social media site, and a suspect with the username of “Eagle_Tiger” responded. The undercover persona identified herself as a 12-year-old girl, while “Eagle_Tiger” identified himself as a 42-year-old named Andrew, from Alberta, Canada. As further alleged, conversations led to Andrew discussing wanting to have sex with the persona and sending CSAM to the persona. Law enforcement arrested Brown on May 6 when he traveled to Billings to meet with the undercover persona.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Billings Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation.

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

PACER case reference. 24-80.

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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MISSOULA — A Troy area man who admitted to killing a grizzly bear on his property in 2020, not reporting the shooting as required and throwing the bear’s GPS collar in the Yaak River was sentenced today to two months in prison and fined $10,000, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Othel Lee Pearson, 80, pleaded guilty in February to tampering with evidence, a felony, and to failure to report taking of grizzly bear, a misdemeanor.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court further ordered Pearson to serve four months of home confinement after his incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In addition, the court ordered Pearson to forfeit a .270 Winchester bolt-action rifle with a scope that he used to kill the grizzly bear and was seized from his residence. The court allowed Pearson to self-report to prison.

“Those of us who grew up in Montana know not just the dangers associated with grizzly bears, but also their protected status as a threatened species, too. When, as here, one illegally kills a grizzly bear, and in an attempt to cover it up, cuts off the bear’s GPS collar, tosses it into the Yaak River, and butchers the carcass for disposal, a federal felony will be pursued. The Cabinet-Yaak area is a designated grizzly bear recovery zone and includes Pearson’s property, which makes Pearson’s conduct even more troubling. Pearson was only caught due to the sophistication and tenacity of agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our federal prosecutors, for which I am grateful,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

"The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to protecting our nation's natural resources for the continued benefit of the American people. Grizzly bears are a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and the state animal of Montana, which shows the importance of grizzly bears to the people and our ecosystems," said Edward Grace, Assistant Director for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. "Our agents will work tirelessly to investigate the illegal take of grizzly bears even when faced with the attempts to destroy and cover up the crime." 

As alleged in amended court documents, on Nov. 19, 2020, Pearson shot and killed a sow grizzly bear on his residential property, using a .270 rifle. Pearson cut a GPS collar that had been fitted to the bear and discarded the collar nearby in the Yaak River. Pearson also cut paws, ear tags and an identifying lip tattoo from the bear carcass. Pearson then concealed the bear’s claws and an ear tag in a hollowed-out tree on Forest Service land near his residence. Meat from the bear was discovered in Pearson’s freezer inside his home. Pearson attempted to and did tamper with these identifying items to impair the criminal prosecution for failing to report taking of a grizzly bear. Pearson did not report the killing of the grizzly bear to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within five days of occurrence.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation.

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MISSOULA —A Columbia Falls woman who managed books for a Kalispell firearm manufacturing business today admitted to stealing approximately $159,000 from the company in a check scheme, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Teri Anne Bell, 58, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Bell faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years 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 Oct. 8. Bell was released pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that from May 2018 until about December 2021, Bell, while working as a finance manager for Falkor SID Inc., a firearm manufacturing and distribution business in Kalispell, stole from her employer. Bell was provided pre-signed checks to make payments to Falkor vendors and had access to Falkor’s bank account and its accounting software. In the fall of 2021, Falkor’s owners suspected Bell was stealing money from the company, and a financial audit determined that Bell completed 45 unauthorized transactions totaling $159,131 in Falkor funds. Bell wrote checks from Falkor to herself or her creditors and then edited the payments in an accounting system so that they appeared to be for legitimate business expenses. Bell used the stolen funds for personal expenses, including hotels in Las Vegas and at Quinn’s Hot Springs, payments to retail and liquor stores, collection agencies and streaming services.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared recently before U.S. District or 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 Great Falls before Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris and pleading not guilty on June 6 was:

Melody Rose Bernard, 49, of Box Elder, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bernard faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charges and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearms charge. Bernard was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Rocky Boy’s Police Department, Hill County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and Havre Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-46.

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on June 5 was:

Lori Pauline Whiteshield, 44, of Lame Deer, on charges of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a person under 16. If convicted of the most serious crime, Whiteshield faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Whiteshield was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-62.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on May 30 was:

Todd Schannen Pearson, 54, of Indianapolis, Indiana, on charges of transportation of child pornography and possession of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Pearson faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release. Pearson was detained pending further proceedings. The Bozeman Police Department and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-09.

The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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BILLINGS — A felon who escaped from a pre-release center, committed a drive by shooting at a house in Billings and then led law enforcement on a chase in a stolen vehicle before crashing was sentenced yesterday to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conviction of a firearms crime, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

The defendant, Azuriah Austin Stallcup, 20, of Billings, pleaded guilty in February to prohibited person in possession of firearm and ammunition.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

In court documents, the government alleged that on July 6, 2023, Stallcup was a wanted escapee from a Butte pre-release center when he travelled to Billings, obtained a stolen .40-caliber firearm and repeatedly fired it from his stolen vehicle into a house. Residential surveillance cameras identified the vehicle and Stallcup. Billings Police Department officers tracked Stallcup the next day to a house. When officers attempted to arrest Stallcup as he was leaving in the stolen vehicle, Stallcup rammed one of the police cars, plowed into a nearby civilian vehicle and fled on foot. Officers chased Stallcup and saw him throw a pistol over a fence. Police officers, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, arrested Stallcup after being tackled by the owner of the car he had just hit. Officers recovered a .40-caliber pistol. Stallcup had been convicted of assault with a weapon, a felony, in Montana District Court and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Marshals Service, conducted the investigation.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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GREAT FALLS — A Tennessee man accused of mailing fentanyl pills to a Great Falls couple that led to the overdose death of the husband admitted to a trafficking crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Malice Clark, Jr., aka Greg Clark, aka “Greed”, 57, of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Clark faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least 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 Oct. 17. Clark was detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that from at least February 2021 to April 2022, Clark repeatedly mailed small quantities of fentanyl from his home in Tennessee to the victim, John Doe, and his wife in Great Falls. Clark and Doe were friends and Doe would send Clark money in exchange for user amounts of fentanyl. Doe usually sent the money to Clark through a mobile cash transfer app, and Clark would send Doe a receipt and U.S. Postal Service tracking number for the package that contained fentanyl. On April 5, 2022, Doe and his wife received a package of fentanyl in the mail from Clark. That evening, both Doe and his wife took some of the fentanyl. At about 2:20 a.m. on April 6, 2022, Doe’s wife called 911 and reported that Doe had overdosed. Doe was found unresponsive and pronounced dead. An autopsy confirmed that Doe’s death was caused by acute fentanyl intoxication. Law enforcement collected pills that were determined to be fentanyl from Doe’s home, Doe’s wife admitted they had obtained the pills from Clark through the mail.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes is prosecuting the case. The Great Falls Police Department, Memphis (Tennessee) Police Department, FBI, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Medical Examiner Office conducted the investigation.

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GREAT FALLS — A woman who forged checks to steal more than $700,000 from her elderly mother in Lewistown while purporting to serve as her caregiver was sentenced today to four and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Roxanna Rae Lewis-Stella, 60, of Billings, pleaded guilty in January to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court also ordered Lewis-Stella to pay $725,145 restitution.

“It shocks the conscience that after a lifetime of love from her mother, Lewis-Stella, when her vulnerable mom needed her most, stole so much of her money that her mom had to sell her home to move into an assisted living facility. Every case involving elder fraud and abuse is repulsive, but it is particularly odious when it is done by a family member. Whether the perpetrator is a family member or stranger, we will continue intensifying our efforts to fight elder fraud and abuse to protect the generations who came before us,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

The government alleged that from November 2021 to July 2023, Lewis-Stella, under the guise of serving as caregiver for her mother, forged approximately 70 of her mother’s checks to steal her fortune. In one instance, Lewis-Stella attempted to cash a forged check for $500,000. Lewis-Stella also reused checks by altering numbers and depositing them twice. To conceal her crimes, Lewis-Stella called the banks and impersonated her mother and intercepted mailed bank statements before her mother could see them. In addition, Lewis-Stella stole and pawned a 100-ounce silver bar from her mother, used her father’s credit cards after his death to accumulate $14,000 in charges for her personal expenses and stole and forged a $12,505 life insurance check written to her husband’s son. Lewis-Stella used the money for clothes, travel, entertainment, restaurants, online shopping, cosmetic procedures and tattoos.

In addition, the government alleged that Lewis-Stella’s mother was a vulnerable victim because of her advanced age and because she relied almost entirely on her daughter for care. After the thefts were discovered, Lewis-Stella’s mother was forced to sell her home and move into an assisted living facility.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karla E. Painter and Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fergus County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Adult Protective Services conducted the investigation.

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MISSOULA — A Belgrade felon who admitted illegally possessing a firearm for five years and while on state probation 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, Mark John Littlefield, 49, pleaded guilty in January to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

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

The government alleged in court documents that Littlefield was convicted in December 2011 of felony driving under the influence in Gallatin County District Court. One of the conditions of Littlefield’s sentence was that he could not own or possess firearms. In 2020, Littlefield was explicitly informed he could not possess firearms, and he signed a form affirming his understanding of the prohibition. Littlefield illegally possessed a firearm for five years, beginning with his acquisition of a .357 pistol in 2018. For all the time from 2018 until June 2023, when probation officers found the pistol in his bedroom, Littlefield was on supervision with the Montana Department of Corrections. Once Littlefield became aware officers had located the firearm, he stated, “I’m going federal, I’m going federal.”

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian C. Lowney and Zeno B. Baucus prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 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.

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GREAT FALLS — A Helena man who admitted to illegally possessing homemade bombs and a silencer after being suspected of planning to attack a Helena Public Schools building was sentenced today to seven and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Logan Sea Pallister, 25, pleaded guilty in January to possession of unregistered destructive devices and to possession of an unregistered silencer.

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

The government alleged in court documents that in May 2022, the Helena Police Department received information from a juvenile girl that Pallister possessed multiple bombs, had access to multiple firearms and had been making threats of committing an attack at a local high school. The person also indicated that Pallister discussed a desire to commit a Columbine-style attack at the high school. Further, Pallister had shown the individual numerous firearms and a large amount of ammunition that he kept in his car and had purchased a black trench coat and the same type of duffle bag used by the shooters in the attack at Columbine High School. Pallister showed the individual a homemade pipe bomb that he said he’d made and retrieved from his car. The individual later reported that Pallister threatened to kill her if she told anyone about what he had shown her. Although Pallister disputed making the threat, the individual reported the incident to law enforcement.

At about 4 a.m. on May 31, 2022, police officers arrested Pallister as he was walking toward his car from his residence. Pallister was wearing a black trench coat, carrying a bag and had eight loaded firearms concealed on his person, including semi-automatic pistols and AR-style rifles equipped with high-capacity magazines. Following Pallister’s arrest, law enforcement searched his car and recovered nine additional firearms, miscellaneous firearms accessories, body armor, trigger modification systems designed to increase the fire-rate of guns, an ammunition canister containing four homemade pipe bombs and an oil filter modified to function as a silencer. In a search of Pallister’s residence, law enforcement located a large quantity of ammunition, additional firearms parts and materials used to make explosives.

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GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder man who admitted to assaulting a woman at his residence on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation in 2021 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.

Gabriel Evan Jordan, 26, pleaded guilty in January to a superseding information charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

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

The government alleged in court documents that on Nov. 16, 2021, the victim, identified as Jane Doe, visited Jordan at his residence. Jordan assaulted the victim by intentionally holding her down and forcing sexual contact, causing serious bodily injury to the victim.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer S. Clark and Stephanie D. Robles prosecuted the case. The FBI, Rocky Boy’s Police Department, Hill County Sheriff’s Office and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.

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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 May 28 was:

Jordan Charles Kirsch, 34, of Bozeman, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Kirsch faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Kirsch was detained pending further proceedings. The Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-14.

Oscar Enrique Ruiz Rojas, 25, of Gallatin Gateway, on charges of alien in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Rojas faces maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Rojas was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-17.

Cameron Lee Richard Carr, 34, of Kalispell, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and prohibited person in possession of firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Carr faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five 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 charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Carr was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-23.

Nicole Elice Anderson, 39, of Post Falls, Idaho, on charges of unlawfully obtaining controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Anderson faces a maximum of four years in prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release. Anderson was released pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-24.

Jeri Angeline Phillips, 36, of Butte, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Phillips faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Phillips was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-16.

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on May 31 was:

Darrien Christian Snow, 23, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Snow faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Snow was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-75.

Appearing on May 30 was:

Juan Ortiz, 47, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ortiz faces a maximum of 15 years prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Ortiz was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-42.

Appearing on May 28 was:

Richard Dale Wright, 46, of Big Fork, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Wright faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Wright was detained pending further proceedings. The Montana Highway Patrol, Golden Valley Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.  

PACER case reference. 23-127.

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston for an initial appearance on a criminal complaint on May 28 was:

Melody Rose Bernard, 51, of Box Elder, and Ashley Jocelyn Cortez, 23, of California, on a criminal complaint charging conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bernard and Cortez face a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Bernard and Cortez were detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Tri Agency Task Force and Fort Belknap Police Department conducted the investigation.  PACER case reference. 24-46.

The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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GREAT FALLS — A Havre man who admitted selling methamphetamine was sentenced today to five years and four months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Stephen Eric Engelhardt, Jr., 41, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to distribution of meth.

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

The government alleged that in March 2023, members of the Montana Tri-Agency Task Force began investigating Engelhardt’s involvement in meth trafficking. On two occasions, Engelhardt and his co-defendant, Tayla Wren Overlie, sold meth in a controlled operation in April 2023. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at their residence and recovered drug paraphernalia, meth, ammunition, numerous firearms and U.S. currency. Overlie was sentenced to five years and four months in prison for her conviction in the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The Tri-Agency Task Force and the FBI conducted the investigation.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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BILLINGS — A Hamilton man who admitted devising a years-long scheme that defrauded investors in Hamilton and Billings of more than $700,000 was sentenced today to five years of probation and ordered to pay $722,808 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

The defendant, Richard William Brooks, 78, pleaded guilty in January to wire fraud.

Under the terms of a plea agreement, the government recommended a probationary sentence. The government requested an aggressive payment schedule for restitution because of Brooks’ available disposable income.

U.S District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court ordered Brooks to pay $722,808 restitution at the rate of $3,000 per month to two victims.

The government alleged in court documents that as far back as 2016, Brooks orchestrated a scheme to defraud individuals of significant sums of money. Contending that he fell “on hard times,” Brooks, often using third parties as intermediaries, claimed that his daughter-in-law was scheduled to receive a large inheritance but for legal and court costs that were required to release it. Brooks deceptively assured multiple victims that if they provided him with money on an expedited timeline, he would return their funds in addition to a premium of between 25 percent and 100 percent. Brooks insisted his victims pay him in cash. When pressed by his victims about non-payment or supporting documentation, Brooks demurred or lied again. He claimed that the inheritance was under seal and that he was unable to provide any documentation. Brooks’ scheme lasted for years, and, in February 2021, law enforcement interviewed Brooks. Brooks contended that he intended to pay back this money, which he never did, and that he was going to receive a settlement in connection to his exposure to Agent Orange. He claimed to have documentation to support his theory that the funds were temporary loans. When law enforcement followed up for the documentation, Brooks ended the communication and never provided any materials to support his position.

One of Brooks’ victims told the court that he lost his business of 10 years and his life savings because of Brooks’ scheme. Another victim told the court that she had been subjected to threatening phone calls, was displaced from her home and forced to sell treasured antiques to survive because of Brooks. “He did more than steal our money. He stole our peace,” the victim said.

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

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GREAT FALLS — A man who admitted making threats to blow up the Dodson school was sentenced today to one year and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

Jacob Edwin Wilson, 40, a transient, pleaded guilty in January to false information and hoaxes as charged in an indictment.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court also ordered $7,000 restitution.

The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 29, 2023, Wilson called both the Blaine County 911 emergency number and the Dodson school, located near the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, and said he was “about to blow Dodson school up.” Law enforcement responded, and the superintendent and principal evacuated students and staff from the school to a nearby church parking lot. Phillips County Sheriff’s Office first responders, the Malta Fire Department and U.S. Border Patrol responded, set up security around the school and searched the school for an explosive device. No explosive device was found. Wilson called 911 again and asked for someone to give him a ride off the reservation, said he was at an individual’s house and that he needed a ride from anyone except the Fort Belknap police. Officers located Wilson and arrested him.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Belknap Tribal Police, Phillips County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Border Patrol and Malta Fire Department conducted the investigation.

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GREAT FALLS — A Hays man who admitted to beating and seriously injuring a woman on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced today to six years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Avery Jordon Boe, 39, pleaded guilty in January to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

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

The government alleged in court documents that on April 29, 2021 near Hays, Boe assaulted the victim, identified as Jane Doe, by strangling her several times and throwing a rock at her, breaking her arm. Boe did not kill her because he had a seizure. Jane Doe initially lied to the officers about her injuries because she was afraid of Boe.

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

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MISSOULA — An Elmo man accused of illegally receiving federal benefits by collecting his deceased mother’s Social Security payments and by not disclosing his assets, including proceeds from a dog grooming business, admitted to fraud and theft charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Gerry Alen Albus, 64, pleaded guilty to theft of government money and Social Security fraud as indicted. Albus faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years 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 Sept. 24. Albus was released pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that in May 2015, Albus was approved to receive Supplemental Security Income benefits from the Social Security Administration and was advised of his legal obligation to accurately report his income, resources and household composition. In October 2016, Albus reported to SSA that he had moved to Elmo, lived alone and paid rent to his landlord, when in fact, he did not pay rent and his landlord was his romantic partner. In 2017, Albus and his partner converted his partner’s 20-acre property in Elmo into a dog grooming business.

The government further alleged that Albus did not disclose his ownership interest in property he co-owned in Florida with his mother or proceeds from the sale of the property in June 2017. Albus’ mother died in March 2017, but SSA continued to send her monthly payments of approximately $2,000 until it learned of her death through this investigation. From March 2017 until November 2021, Albus took his mother’s SSA payments and used them for his personal expenses.

In addition, the government alleged that Albus failed to report other assets, including three vehicles, several bank accounts and proceeds from the dog grooming business.

In a May 2022 interview with SSA special agents at the dog grooming business, Albus admitted he did not pay rent, that he lived with his partner, that he did not disclose vehicles or income and that he took his mother’s SSA benefits after her death because he felt he was “entitled” to them. Albus told agents that he knew if he reported all his income and assets, it would have reduced or eliminated his SSA payments. SSA determined Albus received approximately $60,627 in SSI benefits for which he was ineligible and stole an additional $59,535 in SSA funds intended for his mother.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter is prosecuting the case. The SSA Office of Inspector General and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.

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GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder woman accused of beating another woman during an attempted kidnapping from Great Falls to the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Taneal Raschae Sutherland, 30, pleaded guilty to assault with the intent to commit a felony, a kidnapping. Sutherland faces a maximum of 10 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 Sept. 25. Sutherland was detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that between Aug. 13 and 15, 2023, Sutherland and a group of friends, including the victim, identified as Jane Doe, were in Great Falls when they got into a dispute over money. Sutherland grabbed Doe by the hair and pushed her into a vehicle, and the group drove Doe to a home on the Rocky Boy’s Reservation. Doe reported that the individuals punched and kneed her throughout the drive to Rocky Boy’s. Doe further told law enforcement that she was kept at the residence against her will for some time before a friend helped her leave. Doe sought medical attention for injuries, including a concussion. Sutherland admitted to law enforcement that she grabbed Doe by the hair and assaulted her throughout the drive to Rocky Boy’s.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kalah A. Paisley and Amanda L. Myers are prosecuting the case. The FBI and Rocky Boy’s Police Department conducted the investigation.

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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 May 23 was:

Tanya Lee Holbrook, 42, of Emigrant, on charges of misappropriation of postal funds and theft of government property. If convicted of the most serious crime, Holbrook faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Holbrook was released pending further proceedings. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-63.

Jessica Denise Bad Moccasin, 33, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bad Moccasin faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Bad Moccasin was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-61.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on May 20 was:

Dylan James Youngblood, 32, of Kalispell, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Youngblood faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Youngblood was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Kalispell Police Department, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Probation and Parole and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-22.

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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MISSOULA — A Missoula man who admitted to trading videos and images of child pornography with others on social media sites and who possessed thousands of images of child sexual abuse material was sentenced on Tuesday to 17 years and six months in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

Nicholas Geoffrey Combs, 29, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to distribution of child pornography.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court also ordered $36,000 restitution.

“There is no more important duty of our office than to protect kids by holding accountable those who seek to victimize them. Our office has prosecuted many people who pose grave dangers to children, but Combs’ conduct is among the worst I’ve seen during my time as Montana’s U.S. Attorney. His possession of thousands of images of graphic sexual and physical violence perpetrated against children, including infants, was grotesque and all parents should be relieved he will spend the next 30 years of his life either in federal prison or under federal supervision,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

In court documents, the government alleged that in June 2022, Snapchat reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a Snapchat user had uploaded two videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit content to its service. A law enforcement investigation determined that the Snapchat account belonged to Combs and that he had sent two videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit content to another Snapchat user. Combs admitted to trading videos and images of minors engaged in sexually explicit content with other users on social media sites, including Reddit and Snapchat. Combs also admitted he was sexually attracted to minors, had solicited and received sexually explicit pictures from children with whom he interacted online and sometimes pretended to be a child to solicit the images. Law enforcement seized Combs’ electronic devices and determined that they contained thousands of images and videos of graphic sexual and physical violence against children, including babies.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case. The Missoula Police Department and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 www.justice.gov/psc.

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MISSOULA — A Missoula woman who admitted to distributing fentanyl in the community was sentenced today to four years and two months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Janelle Ann Bergeson, 38, pleaded guilty in January to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.

The government alleged in court documents that from at least September 2022 to January 2023, Bergeson distributed fentanyl in the Missoula community, and on at least one occasion, traveled with a co-conspirator to acquire the drug in Spokane, Washington. The government estimated that Bergeson is accountable for the distribution of from 2,400 fentanyl pills to 6,000 pills. During an investigation, federal agents intercepted a package addressed to co-defendant Nikolas Pellant and that contained several hundred fentanyl pills. The investigation determined Pellant and his girlfriend and co-defendant, Lynsi Barnes, had been selling the drug that they acquired through the mail and regular trips to Spokane. Bergeson was their primary customer and purchased between 40 and 100 pills every day. In a traffic stop in January 2023, the Montana Highway Patrol stopped Barnes as she was returning from a trip to Spokane, and Bergeson was in the front passenger seat. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and seized more than 450 fentanyl pills. Pellant, Barnes and a third co-defendant, Beau James Breneman, each were sentenced to five years and three months for their convictions in the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Service, Montana Highway Patrol, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Shoshone County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

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HELENA — A Helena man who admitted buying fentanyl on the dark web using cryptocurrency and distributing some of it while using the rest was sentenced on May 13 to 15 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

The defendant, Jarek William Hahn, 30, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

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

The government alleged in court documents that between December 2022 and December 2023, Hahn obtained fentanyl in the mail after arranging its purchase on illicit internet sites on the dark web. Hahn then used some of it and sold some to support his habit. Hahn used sophisticated means to seek out illicit sites on the internet’s dark web, which are unindexed sites on the internet that require special internet browsers to access. He then accessed a site where he purchased fentanyl using cryptocurrency and had it delivered in the mail. In a search of Hahn’s home, law enforcement recovered 64 fentanyl pills.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes prosecuted the case. The FBI, Missouri River Drug Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation.

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