A Billings, Montana man has been charged with federal drug offenses after authorities discovered 45 pounds of methamphetamine, several firearms and over $31,000 in cash inside a safe located in his 78-year-old mother’s Laurel home.
Lane Demarais, 45, faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with a potential life sentence, and fines of up to $10 million if convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
The arrest followed a search conducted on February 5th of Demarais’s residence, a storage facility, and his mother’s home. Court documents reveal that law enforcement had been surveilling Demarais, noting frequent and circuitous trips to his mother’s house, described by one agent as a “heat run” intended to evade detection.
Upon obtaining a warrant and accessing a safe within a slight basement room at his mother’s residence with the assistance of a locksmith, agents uncovered 45 individually packaged one-pound bundles of methamphetamine. Alongside the drugs, they found multiple firearms, digital scales, and drug paraphernalia, in addition to $31,541 in cash.
Further investigation led to the discovery of additional firearms in Demarais’s truck. His mother, who was not charged in the case, reportedly told agents that Demarais had unrestricted access to her home and was unaware of the presence of the safe.
The investigation was initiated in the fall of 2025 after authorities questioned an individual who claimed to have purchased methamphetamine from Demarais. Text message exchanges between the two reportedly referenced trips to Demarais’s mother’s home, according to court filings.
Authorities believe Demarais was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine sourced from California. The case remains under investigation.
