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GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man today admitted to selling fentanyl pills on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Timothy Michael Koop, 61, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. Koop faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $ 1 million and at least three years of supervised release.
U.S. Chief District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Justice Morris has set the sentence for January 20, 2022. Koop has been released pending further trial.
The government alleged in court documents that the FBI learned in interviews that Koop was a local distributor of fentanyl and other illegal pills on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation and worked with foreign suppliers. In May and June, law enforcement used confidential sources to make controlled purchases of fentanyl from Koop or arranged to obtain the pills through Koop. Co-accused Kelli Lamere has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Officers obtained a search warrant for Koop and Lamere’s residence based on reports that an out-of-state supplier was present. When the warrant was executed, the officer found Lamere and an individual from Michigan. Koop was located elsewhere and returned to the residence. Koop told law enforcement the Michigan individual was distributing fentanyl and claimed the person was paying him and Lamere in pills to stay at the residence. Officers found a bottle of Aleve brand pills in the residence. Analysis determined that the bottle contained 179 tablets, marked “Aleve”, one of which was tested and found to contain no controlled substances. The bottle also contained 258 greenish yellow tablets imprinted with “M” on one side and “30” on the other. One of these tablets was tested and found to contain fentanyl and two other substances.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut is pursuing the case, which has been investigated by the FBI, the Tri-Agency Task Force, law enforcement Chippewa Cree and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
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