A Great Falls man has confessed to distributing fentanyl and other drugs in the community while on state probation, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
Michael Shawn O’Neill, 59, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the proceedings. The court will determine the final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2025. O’Neill remains detained pending further proceedings.
Court documents revealed that on September 4, 2023, O’Neill, a convicted felon under state supervision, possessed thousands of fentanyl pills intended for redistribution, along with four firearms, methamphetamine, and heroin. He was arrested on September 4, 2023, due to a warrant issued for traveling outside his district without permission. An investigation led to searches of his vehicle and residence where law enforcement found 6,500 fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, U.S. currency, four firearms, and 1,300 rounds of ammunition in his vehicle as well as additional fentanyl pills and currency in his residence. Officers later discovered heroin and more currency in a backpack retrieved from O’Neill’s vehicle. He admitted to driving to Spokane for his supply and believed he was closely connected to the Cartel through an intermediary. He claimed to have spent $12,000 on drugs found in his backpack during his trip.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with investigations conducted by the Russell Country Drug Task Force, Montana Probation and Parole, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities they serve. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a strategy aimed at reducing violent crime by strengthening PSN based on core principles such as fostering trust within communities and supporting organizations that prevent violence.