Billings man sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for drug trafficking

BILLINGS - A Billings man who trafficking fentanyl and meth into Montana was sentenced Wednesday to 11 years and eight months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.

Brian John Schmidt, Jr., 41, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

The government alleged in court documents that Schmidt, along with two others, travelled to Denver in March 2024 and purchased fentanyl and methamphetamine that they brought back to Montana to sell.

A tip led law enforcement to look into Michael Anthony Moen, who had driven to Denver with the intent of purchasing illicit drugs on March 8, 2024. Agents tracked the car in which Moen was traveling and pulled him over as he returned to Montana. Also in the car were Schmidt and Lindsey Pearl Lynn.

Both Lynn and Moen pleaded guilty earlier this year to drug trafficking charges. Moen will be sentenced on Sept. 3; Lynn will be sentenced on Dec. 10.

After they were pulled over, the three gave various accounts of who was buying the drugs and who knew the seller. At one point, Schmidt tried to ingest a bag of fentanyl pills to keep them from being found by law enforcement. Ultimately, he admitted to agents that he had travelled to Denver to obtain the illicit drugs in order to distribute them in Billings.

The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and DEA conducted the investigation.