Joseph Conner is scheduled for a sentencing hearing in federal court on May 1.

Conner signed a plea deal in November that a federal judge accepted in December in connection with a local yearlong narcotics investigation that lead the arrest of 10 others in October in Great Falls.

Conner agreed to plead guilty to the federal charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, according to court documents.

The offense carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment up to life, a $100,000 fine, at least five years of supervised release and $100 special assessment, according to the plea agreement.

In exchange, the federal prosecutors will dismiss the other three charges.

Conner takes plea in narcotics ring case

In the agreement, Conner acknowledges that there was an agreement between two or more people to distribute meth and fentanyl and to possess it with the intent to distribute it; and that at least 400 grams a mixture or substance containing fentanyl and at least five grams of actual methamphetamine was involved in the conspiracy, according to court documents.

According to charging documents, the Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, Russell Country Drug Task Force, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Homeland Security Investigations began an investigation into Joseph Conner in September 2022.

Two more appear in federal court in narcotics investigation

Conner lived in Washington dealing fentanyl and Xanax throughout Montana, including Cascade County.

Conner was indicted in federal court in July for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; distribution of fentanyl; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

He initially entered a not guilty plea on the indictment.

Seven charged federally in narcotics investigation

Conner’s attorney submitted multiple letters to the court from friends and family describing his good character and struggles with addiction that they believe lead to his involvement with drug trafficking.

Conner stayed with Dallas Lopez at his house at 2112 Poplar Drive when he was in town.

Lopez was among the 10 arrested on Oct. 12 by local law enforcement and was charged in district court with a felony count of accountability for criminal distribution of dangerous drugs, and two felony counts of possession of property subject to criminal forfeiture in connection with a local yearlong narcotics investigation.

Lopez has a jury trial scheduled in district court for June 3.

Lopez was described as a “rich guy” or “the money guy” and was employed as a financial advisor in Great Falls.

Lopez began dealing directly with Conner and in December 2022, a piece of mail was recovered from Lopez’ trashcan on Poplar addressed to him from a Tacoma, Washington address, according to court documents.

Another charged in narcotics investigation

The contents field tested presumptive positive for fentanyl and after the mail was recovered, officers were dispatched to a welfare check at Lucky Lil’s Casino on Fox Farm Road for a male passed out in a vehicle, who was identified as Conner, according to court documents.

At the time, Conner told police he was in town visiting family and gave Lopez’s address, according to court documents.

Conner used Lopez’s house as a stash house and dealt fentanyl out of the house while he was in town. Lopez allowed Conner to stay with him in exchange for about 1,000 fentanyl pills, according to court documents.

Charges filed in narcotics investigation

Conner also paid Lopez for allowing one of his Great Falls fentanyl distributors to stay at the Poplar house.

Surveillance showed multiple people in short-term traffic at Lopez’s house, particularly when Conner was in town, according to court documents.

Terry McCann was also selling fentanyl out of Lopez’s house.

McCann was arrested and charged Oct. 12 with a felony county of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and a misdemeanor county of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia in connection with a January traffic stop.

McCann has a jury trial scheduled for June 11.

On Jan. 19, GFPD stopped a vehicle in which McCann was a passenger. Officers obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and found fentanyl, burned tin foil and a smoke tube crafted out of a pen.  She also had pending charges for assault with a weapon, criminal possession of dangerous drugs, criminal mischief and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, according to court documents.

10 arrested in narcotics investigation; another arrested on unrelated warrant

In another instance, Lopez drove his truck to Tacoma to pick up Conner and returned to his house on Poplar with about 3,000 fentanyl pills, and several people were at the house to buy the pills, according to court documents.

Others arrested in the narcotics ring include:

• Alanna Corcoran, 41, of Great Falls, on federal charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Corcoran faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release. Nicholas Cocklin is also named as a defendant in this case. A trail is set for June 11 in federal court.
• Nicholas Cocklin, 28, of Great Falls, on charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Cocklin faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release. Cocklin was arrested on Oct. 21. Cocklin was detained pending further proceedings. A trial is set for June 11 in federal court.
• Paul Regimbal, 50, of Fort Benton, on charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Terry McIntire also is charged with distribution of fentanyl. The defendants face a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release. Regimbal signed a plea deal in April to plead guilty for the charge of possession with the intent to distribute and if the court accepts, the government will move to dismiss the conspiracy charge. A change of plea hearing is set for June 12 in federal court.
• Natalie Crawford, 31, of Great Falls, on charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Crawford faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. David Prien-Pinto is also named as a defendant in this case. A change of plea hearing for Crawford is set for Aug. 1.