A Great Falls resident, Michael Shawn O’Neill, has admitted to distributing fentanyl and other drugs in the community while on state probation. U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced the plea.

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 potential $10 million fine, and at least five years of supervised release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case. The court will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors before determining any sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2025. O’Neill remains detained pending further proceedings.

According to court documents, on September 4, 2023, O’Neill was found with thousands of fentanyl pills intended for redistribution while under state supervision as a convicted felon. He also possessed four firearms, methamphetamine, and heroin at the time of his arrest on a warrant for unauthorized travel outside his district.

The investigation involved searches of O’Neill’s vehicle and residence where law enforcement discovered 6,500 fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, U.S. currency, four firearms, and 1,300 rounds of ammunition in his vehicle along with additional fentanyl pills and currency at his home. Heroin and more currency were later found in a backpack retrieved from his vehicle.

O’Neill informed law enforcement that he traveled to Spokane to acquire his drug supply and believed he was connected one step away from the Cartel through an intermediary. He disclosed spending $12,000 in Spokane on drugs found in his backpack.

The prosecution is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with investigations conducted by the Russell Country Drug Task Force alongside Montana Probation and Parole and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities they serve. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021—focusing on building trust within communities; supporting organizations that prevent violence; setting strategic enforcement priorities; and measuring outcomes.

For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods visit Justice.gov/PSN.