GREAT FALLS — Joel Hadley III, 23, who distributed fentanyl at MSU-Northern, was sentenced in federal court this week after pleading guilty in September 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
A news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office says the government alleged that in the summer of 2022, law enforcement received information that Hadley, a football player, was trafficking fentanyl from student housing on the campus in Havre.
Reporting indicated Hadley was selling large amounts of fentanyl to Native Americans from the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation and Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.
Several controlled purchases of fentanyl pills were conducted using a confidential source.
In each instance, the source communicated with Hadley to set up a purchase. Law enforcement equipped the source with a controlled monitoring device and prerecorded funds.
A federal search warrant for Hadley’s residence was granted and executed in September 2023. Law enforcement seized a firearm and a loaded magazine, a plastic bag containing fentanyl, and $861 in U.S. currency.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided and sentenced Hadley to 60 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
