Bismarck Woman Pleads Guilty As Meth Ring Leader In Federal Case
FARGO, N.D. (trfnews.i234.me) — A Bismarck-area woman who once hid in a crawl space with four guns during a federal raid has pleaded guilty to operating one of North Dakota’s largest methamphetamine distribution rings. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 46-year-old Jessica Trottier, also known as Jessica Lattergrass, admitted to leading a large-scale drug trafficking operation and illegally possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
Trottier entered her plea during a late-afternoon hearing on Tuesday, October 21, before Chief U.S. District Judge Peter Welte at the Quentin N. Burdick Federal Courthouse in Fargo. The plea was to a charge under the federal “kingpin” statute, formally known as operating a continuing criminal enterprise. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison.
The investigation — dubbed Operation Roughrider — revealed Trottier coordinated the import and distribution of hundreds of pounds of meth across North Dakota, including to cities and reservations such as Bismarck, Devils Lake, Grand Forks, and Belcourt. Prosecutors said Trottier sourced drugs from California-based suppliers and exchanged firearms and vehicles for narcotics when she couldn’t pay in cash.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Stock outlined evidence including wiretaps, text messages, and jail calls that showed Trottier ran the operation without taking orders from anyone. Prosecutors described her as a “hands-on leader” who even attempted to orchestrate a murder-for-hire plot against a co-conspirator she believed was cooperating with law enforcement.
In September 2022, federal agents raided multiple locations tied to the drug ring, including a home near downtown Fargo, as part of the ongoing investigation. Helicopters hovered over the area during the coordinated raids that also led to several arrests, including suppliers Carlos Batista-Rodriguez, Arturo Guzman, and Hugo Yanez-Rivera.
Trottier’s plea agreement includes the forfeiture of 25 firearms, silencers, and $36,000 in cash. Prosecutors are seeking an enhanced sentence of 40 years, citing threats of violence and witness tampering. Her sentencing is scheduled for February 19, 2026, at 9 a.m. in Fargo, following a pre-sentence investigation.
For more details on federal drug trafficking laws and penalties, visit the DEA’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces page.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
Jessica Trottier, also known as Jessica Lattergrass