Browning woman sentenced to more than three years in prison for meth trafficking on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

GREAT FALLS - A Browning woman who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced on Thursday to three years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

The defendant, Cynthia Ann Valenzuela, 28, pleaded guilty in January to possession with intent to distribute meth.

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

The government alleged in court documents that in the spring of 2023, Valenzuela was stopped in multiple vehicles containing meth and other evidence of distribution. In April 2023, Valenzuela was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for a traffic violation along with her co-defendant. Both occupants were arrested. More than 15 grams of meth was seized from the Valenzuela's person while being booked into jail. A search of the vehicle also yielded evidence of distribution, including baggies and a digital scale. A month later, Valenzuela was in a different vehicle, again being driven by her co-defendant when they were again stopped by Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services for a traffic violation. The co-defendant was arrested and had a scale in his pocket. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and seized more than 170 grams of meth in a safe concealed as a book.

The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Glacier County Sheriff's Office conducted the investigation.

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