U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announces dismantling of Great Falls fentanyl trafficking ring

Press Release

GREAT FALLS - U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich, for the District of Montana, along with multiple law enforcement partners, today announced the dismantling of a large fentanyl trafficking ring that brought tens of thousands of pills to the community from Washington for distribution and led to convictions of 10 individuals on federal charges. The investigation also led to individuals facing charges in state court.

U.S. Attorney Laslovich, along with Great Falls Police Chief Jeff Newton and Cascade County Attorney Joshua Racki, discussed the investigation during a news conference at the Great Falls Civic Center and were joined by representatives of the Russell Country Drug Task Force. The drug task force is composed federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Great Falls Police Department and Cascade County Sheriff's Office.

"Taking down fentanyl trafficking rings to reduce drug-related violence and overdoses and death caused by this extremely dangerous drug is critical to the health and safety of our communities, like Great Falls. These traffickers try to move in and enlist local dealers to profit off persons who are addicted to fentanyl. Dismantling this drug organization was possible only through the unwavering commitment and cooperation of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors to bring these defendants to justice. We know the work needs to continue and we will continue to do it," U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

"Already this year, in 2024, the Russell Country Drug Task Force interdicted a huge shipment of methamphetamine destined for Great Falls, and the amount of cocaine they've seized is nearly triple that of 2023," Great Falls Police Chief Newton said.

"The Cascade County Attorney's Office is dedicated to combatting the influx of illicit drugs by holding accountable those who bring them into our communities," Cascade County Attorney Racki said.

The investigation into fentanyl trafficking in the Great Falls area began in the fall of 2022 and led to a supplier in the Tacoma, Washington, area. The supplier, Joseph Allen Conner, was arrested in June 2023, followed by the arrests of most of the other defendants in a coordinated multi-agency takedown in October 2023 in Great Falls. Several remaining federal defendants were sentenced in October in U.S. District Court in Great Falls.

The investigation determined that Conner made multiple trips to Montana, including Great Falls, to sell fentanyl pills and to distribute to other local dealers. Conner possessed "buckets full" of fentanyl pills and was seen with what one individual described as a "volleyball size bag" of pills. Conner was sentenced in May to five years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge. Overall, the investigation led to the seizure of tens of thousands of fentanyl pills and at least seven firearms.

In addition to defendant Conner, nine other individuals were charged in federal indictments and convicted.

The federal defendants include:

• Joseph Allen Conner, of Yakima, Washington: conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentenced to five years in prison.
• Nicholas Cocklin, of Great Falls: possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentenced to one year in prison.
• Alanna Corcoran, of Great Falls: conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Sentenced to Glacier drug court.
• Terry McIntire, of Great Falls: conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Sentenced to two- and one-half years in prison.
• Michael McIntire, of Great Falls: possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.
• Paul Regimbal, of Great Falls: possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.
• Iesha Berry-Harris, of Tacoma, Washington: possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentence to 15 months in prison.
• David Prien-Pinto, of Great Falls: possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentenced to five years in prison.
• Courtney Price, of Great Falls: possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentenced to three years and two months in prison.
• Casey Louis Ream, of California: possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison.

The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the cases. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Russell Country Drug Task Force, Great Falls Police Department and the Cascade County Attorney's Office investigated the case.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

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Updated December 17, 2024