A Spokane, Washington man has pleaded guilty to drug charges in a case involving controlled substances, as announced by U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. Nicholas Benton Severns, 36, admitted to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He is facing a mandatory minimum sentence ranging from five to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, and at least four years of supervised release.
The proceedings were overseen by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris, who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors before determining the sentence on November 12, 2025. Meanwhile, Severns has been released under certain conditions pending further legal actions.
Court documents revealed that Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services had stopped a white Chevy Malibu for speeding in Browning back in 2023 after it was seen leaving a known drug house. The driver lacked a valid driver's license and insurance and had an outstanding warrant from Washington state. Severns was identified as the passenger with an expired license.
During the traffic stop, officers conducted a pat-down for weapons and discovered items indicating narcotics use on both the driver and Severns. A subsequent search revealed methamphetamine on the driver and burnt blue fentanyl on Severns. Further investigation led to the discovery of 708 fentanyl pills in a fanny pack belonging to Severns, who later confessed during an interview to dealing drugs including fentanyl in Browning.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with investigations conducted by the DEA and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime through collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy under PSN on May 26, 2021.
