GREAT FALLS – A Havre woman accused of trafficking fentanyl pills on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation and in Hill and Cascade counties admitted charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Amber Victoria Standingrock, 24, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances as charged in an information during an arraignment and plea change hearing. Standingrock faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris set sentencing for Oct. 21. Standingrock was detained pending further proceedings.
In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that on April 15, a Great Falls Police Department officer arrested Standingrock on an outstanding warrant. During a subsequent search of Standingrock’s purse, the officer found $2,825 in cash, two cellular phones and about 40 small blue pills, identified as fentanyl. Officers served a search warrant on Standingrock’s vehicle and phones and located four identical pills, $150 in cash and communications in which Standingrock appeared to be arranging the sale of “fettys,” which is common slang for fentanyl pills. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Standingrock’s Facebook account and retrieved communications showing her arranging and proposing sales of fentanyl pills.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Great Falls Police Department and Russell Country Drug Task Force.
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