Montana Department of Justice

06/12/2026

The Montana Department of Justice's Forensic Science Division (FSD) recently helped solve a thirty-six-year-old cold case.

By conducting tests on the preserved 1990 biological evidence, FSD was able to utilize improved forensic DNA methods, enabling investigators to create DNA profiles from the samples.

These profiles have ultimately led to the arrest of Gardiner, who was charged with two counts of deliberate homicide in Missoula County.

Read more here: https://newstalkkgvo.com/cold-case-missoula-news/

06/12/2026

June is Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Prevention Month, which serves as a reminder to stay vigilant and work together to protect children online.

The Department of Justice’s ICAC Task Force receives cyber tips from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and is responsible for investigating and working with prosecutors to hold perpetrators who use the Internet or other technology to exploit children criminally accountable.

From June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2026, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation received 3,542 CSAM cyber tips. Nationally, in 2025, NCMEC received 21.3 million CyberTipline reports, with a 158 percent increase in reported online enticement and a 323 percent increase in reported child s*x trafficking from 2024.

For more information on how to stay safe online and to report child s*xual exploitation, visit https://dojmt.gov/dci-home/crime-information-bureau/icac/.

06/11/2026

Congratulations to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Lewis Johnson, who was recognized for his service and dedication to the state as part of the Montana 250th Commission's "Montana Innovators" initiative.

Last week, Senator Steve Daines honored Trooper Johnson for making a difference in public safety, justice, and law enforcement.

Read more here: https://www.montanarightnow.com/montana/montana-250-commission-spotlights-law-enforcement-leaders-in-may/article_286a4d76-eafa-4002-a767-06184344bdde.html

05/28/2026

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is hosting an elder fraud and abuse awareness presentation in Missoula on Monday, June 1. The presentation will provide Montanans with the tools of how to spot a scam, learn the signs of elder exploitation, and be proactive in stopping elder abuse and exploitation in Montana. The event is open to the public. More information about the event is below.

05/20/2026

The Montana Department of Justice recently partnered with Safe House Project to relaunch Montana's existing human trafficking hotline through a new platform called Simply Report.

The new platform will make it easier for the public to report suspected human trafficking and helps improve law enforcement response times. Reports submitted through the hotline are sent directly to the Montana Department of Justice's Human Trafficking Unit.

If you believe you have witnessed human trafficking, call or text 1-833-406-STOP, visit simplyreport.com, or download the Simply Report mobile application available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

05/18/2026

Last week, the Department of Justice brought law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim advocates together to strengthen s*xual assault response efforts in Montana. Trainings such as this are crucial to improving investigations, holding offenders accountable, and ensuring that survivors receive the resources and care they deserve.

Read more here: https://www.kbzk.com/news/montana-news/law-enforcement-and-prosecutors-participate-in-statewide-s*xual-assault-response-training

05/15/2026

On Peace Officers Memorial Day, we honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Their courage and unwavering commitment will never be forgotten. May we always remember the fallen and thank those who continue to protect our communities.

On Peace Officers Memorial Day, we honor the brave officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
Their names, courage, and dedication will never be forgotten. Though their watch has ended, their legacy lives on through those who continue to serve. May we always remember and honor the fallen.

05/15/2026

The Department of Justice's Forensic Science Division has upgraded to leading-edge latent print technology that captures and analyzes evidence with greater efficiency.

This advancement helps our analysts compare the images within databases to help identify known suspects.

It also strengthens our ability to hold criminals accountable and reduces evidence processing time for survivors by moving cases forward faster.

Read more here: https://www.montanarightnow.com/missoula/missoula-crime-lab-adds-fingerprint-tool-to-speed-evidence-work/article_2df3ba6a-c779-4e4f-8a5b-dac7e0ab8472.html

05/12/2026

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Montana Highway Patrol Colonel Kurt Sager celebrated yesterday with the statewide winner of Attorney General Knudsen's Law Enforcement Appreciation Poster Contest.

Congratulations to Brooke and thank you to everyone who submitted a poster!