GREAT FALLS, MT – A string of brazen crimes across Montana culminated in the arraignment of Santana Cruz Ledeau, 26, of Wolf Point, on charges stemming from a convenience store robbery and multiple carjackings. Ledeau appeared in federal court on March 7, pleading not guilty to an indictment handed down earlier this month.
The indictment alleges Ledeau first targeted an On the Run gas station in Billings on June 11, 2022, robbing the store and threatening an employee, identified in court documents as John Doe #1. Months later, on September 30, 2022, near Billings, Ledeau allegedly brandished a firearm and forcibly took a vehicle from Jane Doe. The rampage continued nearly two months after, on October 17, 2022, near Cascade in Cascade County. There, Ledeau is accused of carjacking a vehicle from John Doe #3, also at gunpoint.
But the October 17th spree didn’t stop there. Just hours after the Cascade County carjacking, Ledeau allegedly attempted to steal another vehicle near Ulm, also in Cascade County, from John Doe #2. The attempt failed, but the pattern of armed violence was clear. Investigators believe Ledeau moved quickly between counties, leaving a trail of fear and stolen vehicles.
If convicted of the most serious charge – robbery affecting commerce – Ledeau faces a maximum of 20 years behind bars, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. However, the most damning charge carries a significantly steeper penalty: the firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, plus a $250,000 fine and three years of release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston ordered Ledeau detained pending further court proceedings. The investigation was a multi-agency effort, involving the Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Billings Police Department, Musselshell County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica A. Betley and Jeffrey K. Starnes are prosecuting the case.
As with all indictments, Ledeau is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is referenced as 23-23 in the U.S. District Court system and can be monitored through the court’s calendar and the PACER system at http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. The public can also access the District Court’s calendar at https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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