Billings man sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping minors, transporting a person for illegal sexual activity, drug trafficking and firearms crimes

BILLINGS  — A Billings man convicted of multiple crimes stemming from an investigation into kidnapping minors, transportation of persons for illegal sexual activity, drug trafficking and firearms offenses was sentenced today to life in prison, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters found Angelo Corey Stackhouse, 52, guilty on June 16, following a bench trial, of all seven counts charged in  superseding  indictment, including transportation of a person with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, distribution of cocaine to a person under the age of 21, distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and two counts of kidnapping.

District Judge Watters presided at sentencing. There is no parole in the federal system.

“This significant sentence will protect the public and community, especially vulnerable girls and women, from Stackhouse for a long time. Stackhouse is a violent predator who used threats and drugs to assault and exploit women and children for his own sexual interest while also distributing cocaine and methamphetamine in the community. I hope that with this sentence, the victims can begin to heal from the trauma and abuse Stackhouse inflicted,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.  

In court documents and in evidence presented at trial, the government alleged that in early 2020, Stackhouse trafficked illegal narcotics, primarily cocaine. Stackhouse went to Denver, Colorado to obtain cocaine for redistribution in the Billings community through the summer of 2020. During this time, Stackhouse transported a 20-year-old female to Colorado and sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions while providing her cocaine. While brandishing a firearm, he also threatened and feigned a sexual assault against a homeless adult female to whom he provided drugs and told the drugs were not free. On separate occasions, one in September 2020 and another in April 2021, Stackhouse kidnapped two minor girls for the purposes of sexually assaulting them in hotel rooms in Billings. One of the minor victims was from the Crow Indian Reservation and the second minor victim was from Billings.  Multiple other adult females testified at trial that Stackhouse sexually assaulted them.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Bryan T. Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Montana Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Billings Police Department and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office.

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