GREAT FALLS — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich, for the District of Montana, along with several law enforcement agencies, announced on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, what he called the "dismantling" of a large fentanyl trafficking ring that brought tens of thousands of pills to the Great Falls community from Washington for distribution and led to convictions of 10 people on federal charges. The investigation also led to suspects facing charges in state court.
At a news conference in Great Falls, Laslovich 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 area of Washington. The supplier, identified as 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 numerous trips to Montana, including Great Falls, to sell fentanyl pills and to distribute to other dealers.
According to Laslovich, Conner possessed "buckets full" of fentanyl pills and was seen with what one person 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.
Nine other people were charged in federal indictments and convicted.
A news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office says 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. Other agencies involved in the investigation include: 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; Cascade County Attorney’s Office.
Laslovich was joined at the news conference by Great Falls Police Chief Jeff Newton and Cascade County Attorney Joshua Racki during a news conference in Great Falls on Tuesday; they were joined by representatives of the Russell Country Drug Task Force.
During the news conference, Laslovich said, “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.”
Newton noted, “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.”
“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,” Racki said.
