GREAT FALLS — Steven Roy DeCarlo of Browning, accused of being a methamphetamine dealer on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, admitted in federal court in Great Falls on Monday to a trafficking crime.
Court documents state that law enforcement officers had several encounters with DeCarlo in 2020, including responding on July 31, 2020 to a report of gunshots in a field on the reservation.
Officers saw two vehicles at the scene, one of which drove away. DeCarlo was in his vehicle, which remained. During a consent search of the vehicle and DeCarlo, officers found drug paraphernalia and $500.
The second vehicle, driven by a person identified as Jane Doe, returned. Officers executed a search warrant on that vehicle and found $1,500 and meth.
DeCarlo told investigators that he and Jane Doe were involved in getting meth, which Doe had been distributing.
He told officers he had financed numerous purchases of meth that Doe had made with the supplier.
DeCarlo later admitted to personally bringing a pound of meth from out of state to the reservation for distribution. A pound of meth is the equivalent of 3,624 doses.
DeCarlo, 31 years old, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said in a news release that DeCarlo faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided, and set sentencing for January 13. DeCarlo remains detained pending further proceedings.
