Great Falls man admits trafficking meth, fentanyl in community

GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man admitted today to trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl pills in the community, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Shacotta Keenan St. Onge, aka Shaq, 30, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. St. Onge faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Nov. 9. St. Onge was detained pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that in the fall of 2022, the Russell Country Drug Task Force learned that St. Onge was distributing drugs in the Great Falls area. Law Enforcement used undercover agents and confidential informants to make controlled buys of meth and fentanyl pills from St. Onge in January. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on St. Onge’s residence in February and recovered fentanyl pills and meth.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut is prosecuting the case. Homeland Security Investigations, the Russell Country Drug Task Force, the Great Falls Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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