Fentanyl Nearly Kills Toddler

Shacotta Keenan St. Onge, a 31-year-old resident of Great Falls, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for his involvement in trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. The sentencing comes after St. Onge's drug distribution resulted in a near-death incident involving a toddler who ingested a fentanyl pill.

Guilty Plea and Charges

St. Onge pleaded guilty in June 2023 to the charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Court documents detailed that the Russell Country Drug Task Force received information in the fall of 2022 about St. Onge's drug distribution activities in the Great Falls area. Subsequent investigations involved controlled buys, leading to the acquisition of meth and fentanyl pills from St. Onge. In February 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at St. Onge's residence, recovering fentanyl pills and meth.

Read Next: 5 Arrested In Great Falls For Fentanyl Trafficking

Near-Death Incident Involving Toddler

In April 2023, St. Onge sold fentanyl to the mother of a two-year-old girl. The fentanyl pills were scattered around the mother's residence, and the child accidentally ingested one, resulting in her hospitalization and a life-threatening situation.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. PSN brings together various law enforcement agencies and communities to create safer neighborhoods. The Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, reinforcing PSN's core principles, including fostering trust in communities, supporting violence prevention initiatives, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.