A Great Falls resident, previously convicted of felony charges and found with firearms and illegal substances, has been sentenced to 10 years and eight months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Michael Shawn O’Neill, 59, admitted guilt to charges concerning possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in December 2024.
The sentencing was overseen by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris. According to court documents, O'Neill, under state supervision at the time, had thousands of fentanyl pills in his possession on September 4, 2023, alongside methamphetamine, heroin, and four firearms. These items were discovered during a probation search and subsequent warrant execution in Great Falls, Montana.
On September 14, 2023, O'Neill disclosed to agents that he had no superiors in the drug distribution hierarchy within the Great Falls area. He stated he obtained supplies from Spokane and considered himself nearly connected to a cartel through an intermediary. O'Neill revealed: “I was moving about 500-800 pills a day, plus an ounce of heroin, plus an ounce of meth – I wasn’t moving that much.”
The U.S. Attorney's Office handled the prosecution, while the investigation was a collaborative effort by the ATF, Russell Country Drug Task Force, and Montana Probation and Parole.
The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a national initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun-related violence, and making communities safer. The project involves cooperation among various law enforcement agencies and community groups. The Department of Justice reinforced this strategy on May 26, 2021, focusing on trust, community organizations, strategic enforcement, and measurable outcomes.
For more detailed information on Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.