A federal jury convicted a Minnesota man on Sept. 13 in federal court in Great Falls of trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl in Havre and Billings in 2021, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The trial began on Sept. 11 and jurors found Rembrandt Carlos Kemp, 32, of Fridley, Minn., guilty of conspiracy to distribute or to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, as charged in an indictment, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Kemp faces 5 to 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and at least 4 years of supervised release. His sentencing was set for Jan. 31, 2024 and Kemp was detained pending further proceedings, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

Great Falls man sentenced for fentanyl trafficking

“As Kemp’s conduct demonstrates, the tentacles of drug trafficking reach every corner of Montana, from our biggest city to our smaller communities on the Hi-Line. I’m grateful for the diligent investigative efforts of the Tri-Agency Task Force, the Havre Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration and to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Lowney and Benjamin Hargrove for bringing Kemp to justice. We remain committed to working with all our law enforcement partners to combat illegal drug distribution across the state,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said in a release.

During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence showing that a fentanyl distribution investigation in Havre was initiated Jan. 11, 2021.

Based on information provided by a confidential source, and after reviewing public social media profiles, law enforcement identified Kemp and Chantel Azure as those distributing fentanyl in Havre, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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On Jan. 13, 2021, the confidential source conducted a controlled buy of fentanyl pills from Azure, during which law enforcement officers saw Azure arrive in a vehicle with two male passengers and return to that vehicle after the sale with the two men still inside, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Law enforcement continued to surveil Azure and later initiated a traffic stop with her and the two men inside the vehicle.

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Kemp was in the front seat and his co-defendant Martaveon Scott, was in the back seat, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Azure and Kemp were arrested on warrants and Scott was arrested for providing a false name.

Kemp was found with 4.32 grams of actual methamphetamine and a digital scale.

Scott was found with 28.43 grams of actual methamphetamine and 100 pills of fentanyl, which weighed about 9.6 grams. An additional 2.9 grams of actual meth was found in the trunk of the vehicle along with a .22 caliber AR-15 style rifle. Additionally, $1,378 was found with Kemp and Scott in the car, including the $800 cash used by the source for the controlled buy, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Scott previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 29 in federal court in Great Falls.

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Azure previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. She was sentenced in December 2022 to 28 months in prison followed by four years supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Lowney and Benjamin Hargrove are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Tri-Agency Task Force, Havre Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make neighborhoods safer.

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On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on core principles of 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.