Montana Department of Justice

08/28/2026

WANTED: Cherece Lashun Johnson, 47, of Billings. The Montana Department of Justice and Toole County Sheriff’s Office are seeking public assistance in locating Cherece Lashun Johnson. Anyone with information pertaining to her whereabouts, please contact DCI Agent Jeremy Alvarez at 406-594-8751.

08/26/2026

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and our Office of Consumer Protection secured a historic settlement for Montana of up to $127 million, concluding a 2021 investigation into the harmful and deceptive practice that put children's health at risk. The settlement money will be used to improve mental health resources for children and teens.

https://dojmt.gov/attorney-general-knudsen-secures-settlement-up-to-127-million-in-largest-big-tech-settlement-in-history/

I am thrilled to announce that Montana will receive up to $127 million in a landmark settlement agreement with Meta for intentionally designing their platforms to be addictive to minors.

In 2021, my office launched an investigation and found that Meta concealed the mental health harms its platform caused kids while misleading the public. At least half of the money will go toward children's mental health programs, various school programs, and related efforts to improve online safety for children.

https://dojmt.gov/attorney-general-knudsen-secures-settlement-up-to-127-million-in-largest-big-tech-settlement-in-history/

08/20/2026

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and our Office of Consumer Protection are warning Montanans of fraudsters creating fake car dealership websites to collect consumers' personal and financial information.

Two popular scams to watch for:
▪️Fake marketplace listings. Scammers post ads for products that don't exist, then send you to a website requesting that you wire money.
▪️Copycat websites. Scammers create a replica of a real business's site with a similar URL to trick you into entering your personal information.

Montanans can report any website scams to the Montana Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection at https://dojmt.gov/office-of-consumer-protection, [email protected], or (406) 444-4500, or toll-free at (800) 481-6896.

OCP can also work to get these fraudulent websites taken down.

08/19/2026

Our DCI agents arrested Roy Scott Reid with aggravated s*x trafficking for soliciting s*x from women at homeless outreaches and shelters in Billings and the surrounding area.

Great job by our agents for their work. Thanks to the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office's and Billings Police Department for their assistance.

Our Montana Department of Justice agents did outstanding work on this case. S*x traffickers are not welcome in Montana.

https://dojmt.gov/dci-arrests-man-for-aggravated-s*x-trafficking/

08/14/2026

Since the beginning of July, over 28,000 Montanans have visited their local MVD office and added the citizenship marker to their driver licenses!

Because of the great response, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and the Motor Vehicle Division are extending the fee waiver for some driver license and ID card renewals and replacements through September.

Don’t miss the chance to celebrate America's 250th and proudly show your patriotism!

07/29/2026

More drugs off the streets and another criminal behind bars thanks to the work of our Montana Highway Patrol, Division of Criminal Investigation, and state and federal law enforcement partners.

We will continue to do everything we can to keep our communities safe.

Satchel Vernard McDonald was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute co***ne and 5 years for possession of a firearm, which will run consecutively. He was also sentenced to 8 years of supervised release.

Billings Police Department was alerted to a vehicle suspected of selling drugs in a parking lot of a local business. Investigators later located and identified McDonald's vehicle. On Jan. 6, 2024, our troopers pulled McDonald over for speeding.

During an interview with law enforcement, McDonald admitted that he had co***ne and a handgun in his car. He also told investigators he had been dealing co***ne for about six months and that he had co***ne, fi****ms, and a large amount of cash at his residence.

Great work by all agencies who worked to bring this case to justice.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/billings-man-sentenced-five-years-drug-related-crimes?bm-verify=AAQAAAAN_____7MoKs6Vwux6jWlNi2QkEG_a82aZhUR0UHzNDAE4ZjxaGUepoJp2KOFPwhkrywuk8P7w_Foj7C-HQnBTensoKHhFWn5uJ5djA_futox-YAkqbZGlJQX5QFM-QPEvzurdJoOq196epsNcwXlGft8QOhWj4pLzOZT_22K_-yX8DSJchUIRar2kmFMcRURpaGgQPbKfmrHDk3HKUeyghiRevu3oF85tavRoWP6kzGbm1SnoPGarXBD1oaPHjY-Q541BuicO1c9vmGmCiE72aAVarDzC1AKGcTOCLtnxJOB0c9ePJH3xe56HFgG9CttpTCpJV7gGK4_f

07/29/2026

Exciting news for Montanans!

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and MVD are extending the fee waiver for some driver license and ID card renewal and replacements through September.

It's a great way to celebrate America's 250th and proudly show your patriotism.

Schedule your appointment online at https://mvdmt.gov/ or visit https://mvdmt.gov/citizenship-marker/ for more information.

07/28/2026

We launched a new PSA today to raise awareness of missing Indigenous persons and shine a light on the impact of those disappearing from Montana's Indigenous communities. The PSA highlights four Indigenous persons who remain missing in Montana: Ashley Mariah Loring Heavyrunner, James Douglas Limberhand, Shacaiah Blue Harding, and Leo Wagner.

Under the direction of Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, our Department is working to ensure no one is alone in the search for their loved one.

Visit the Montana Missing Persons Database to familiarize yourself with the missing and help us bring them home! https://app.dojmt.gov/apps/missingPersonDatabase/

07/24/2026

Justice has been served in an investigation our Division of Criminal Investigation agents conducted last year! Carol Jane Soza was recently sentenced to 11 years in prison after she was pulled over by the Montana Highway Patrol with 27 pounds of methamphetamine in her car last January. The investigation determined that Soza was bringing methamphetamine from Washington and selling it in Butte with the help of a partner.

The Montana Department of Justice remains committed to working with our partners to combat the trafficking of illegal drugs and crime across Montana.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/butte-woman-sentenced-11-years-prison-trafficking-meth

07/19/2026

The Montana Department of Justice is warning Montanans of a raffle ticket scam that falsely claims to benefit the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch. The Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch is not affiliated with the raffle or those who are advertising it.

You can report any phone, email, or mail scams to the Montana Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection at [email protected], or 406-444-4500 or online at https://dojmt.gov/office-of-consumer-protection/