A Mexican national arrested in Kalispell with about 12,000 pills in his vehicle last year pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Cuauhternoc Cervantes Samaniego, 30, faces between five and 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and a minimum of four years of supervised release. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto in Missoula on May 4 for his change of plea hearing.

Prosecutors alleged in court documents that Samaniego trafficked fentanyl in the Kalispell area between May and October 2022. Prior to his arrest, authorities learned he was in the city with a large amount of fentanyl to sell, court documents said.

Law enforcement located Samaniego at a Kalispell gas station about 2:50 a.m., according to court documents. A search of his vehicle allegedly yielded the cache of pills, $72,687 in cash and a 9 mm pistol.

Prior to his arrest, Samaniego allegedly met up with an individual to exchange pills and the firearm, court documents said.

Samaniego’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 21. He remains in custody in the Missoula County Detention Center.

Homeland Security Investigations worked alongside Montana Highway Patrol to investigate the case, officials said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Clark is prosecuting the case.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].