GREAT FALLS - A federal judge today sentenced a Helena man to 11 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl in the community, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Christopher Paris Stockdale, 34, pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl.

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

"Stockdale, armed with a gun, worked with others to bring these poisons into Helena. His conduct had the potential to seriously injure or kill thousands of users, but with today's sentence, he is no longer a risk to our community for a long time. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute drug traffickers like Stockdale to ensure they end up in federal prison with him," U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

In court documents, the government alleged that Stockdale possessed multiple firearms and was responsible for importing thousands of fentanyl pills and pounds of meth into the state. Stockdale committed these crimes while on state parole for drug offense. In the spring of 2023, drug task force officers in Helena developed information that Stockdale was working with others to supply various narcotics in the community. The investigation led to Stockdale being detained on parole violations. In a search of his truck, law enforcement located several hundred fentanyl pills, more than 100 grams of meth, a 9mm pistol and several rounds of ammunition.

The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force and the 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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