Montana
The Montana Boyz star Mark Estes once accused of felony assault for allegedly beating up fellow college students
Mark Estes of the popular TikTok group the Montana Boyz was accused of felony federal assault in February 2021 after allegedly beating up a group of students, Page Six has exclusively learned.
A spokesperson for the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office confirms the influencer – who is now dating “Hills” alum Kristin Cavallari – was involved in the violent incident three years ago, which led to the hospitalization of one of the alleged victims. Estes, 24, was ultimately never charged.
We’re told Estes – who was a student at Montana State University at the time – and his friends allegedly got into a brawl with another group of students in an off-campus fight.
However, by the time law enforcement arrived at the location, everyone was “gone and separated,” which is why no immediate arrests were made.
A Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office public information officer, who worked on the case, tells Page Six that police were not informed of the incident until the injured parties were already at the hospital.
He notes, however, that the group who fought Estes and his pals were at the hospital for just one person, though the entire group seemingly went to support their injured friend.
“If we’re coming to those kinds of things after the fact, we might not arrest the person even if there’s probable cause for them to be charged,” the officer explains.
“We’ll put in what’s called a request for prosecution at the County Attorney’s Office, and they will either issue a warrant or a summons if they feel that probable cause exists to continue on with the case.”
The officer on the case says he pursued a request for prosecution for Estes in particular because this was not a situation in which the then-student athlete was at the wrong place at the wrong time, alluding to the fact that the TikTok personality was allegedly one of the aggressors.
“I put in the request that Mark Estes be charged with aggravated assault and misdemeanor assault because there were two victims,” the officer says.
“I felt that there was probable cause [because] one person’s injuries sustained rose to the level of aggravated assault. The other person who was involved, his injuries were significantly less, just minor scrapes and bruises, which is more of a misdemeanor charge.”
Despite the officer’s requests, Page Six learned that the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office ultimately decided not to press charges against Estes or others involved because they felt it was “mutual combat.”
We’re told no charges were filed against the other parties, and the status of the injured student’s health was not revealed due to it being “private medical information.”
The public information officer notes, though, that there were “some penalties that Montana State imposed” since Estes and the other parties involved were students at the university at the time.
Michael Becker, a rep for Montana State University, declined Page Six’s request to comment on the situation, stating, “Matters concerning individual students’ discipline are protected by federal privacy law.”
According to online records, it appears that Estes transferred schools shortly after the incident. However, it’s unclear whether the incident had anything to do with his move.
He appeared in Montana State’s football roster in 2020 but by 2023 he was playing for Montana Tech.
In recent years, Estes has rose to prominence on social media for his lip-synching videos with pals Kaleb Campbell Winterburn and Kade Wilcox.
The trio boasts more than 800,000 followers on TikTok and nearly 400,000 followers on Instagram.
“The boys began posting on TikTok and in a matter of weeks became viral for their good looks and country flair,” a spokesperson for the group recently told us in a press release.
“Former college football stars, these guys are more than just athletes — they’re models and cowboys, balancing ranch life with the stardom of social media. They seamlessly blend the rugged allure of cowboy life on the ranch with the polished finesse of fashion, crafting a unique persona that captivates audiences.”
Estes, for his part, has garnered even more fame for his romance with Cavallari.
The social media personality and 37-year-old “Laguna Beach” alum – who have a 12-year age gap – went public with their relationship in February. They are reportedly getting “pretty serious” and he has met her kids, whom she shares with ex-husband Jay Cutler.
Page Six has reached out to a rep for Cavallari for comment on her boyfriend’s alleged criminal background but did not immediately hear back.
The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office also confirms to Page Six that neither Winterburn nor Wilcox’s names appear on the February 2021 assault case files.
However, Page Six obtained video that shows Winterburn’s track record is not squeaky clean, either.
In the clip, the TikToker appears in the front seat of a car – with Estes beside him in the front-side passenger’s seat and another friend fooling around in the back of the vehicle.
Winterburn then says into the camera while looking at the friend behind him, “Hey, Seth. You’re a n–r,” prompting Estes’ jaw to drop before the video cuts off.
Page Six has reached out to reps for the Montana Boyz for comment but did not immediately hear back.
This story is excerpted from the MT Lowdown, a weekly newsletter digest containing original reporting and analysis published every Friday.
On Monday, Jan. 5, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced it would downgrade six vaccines on the routine schedule for childhood immunizations. The changes scale back recommendations for hepatitis A and B, influenza, rotavirus, RSV and meningococcal disease.
That decision — shared by top officials at the federal Department of Health and Human Services — took many public health experts by surprise, in part because of how the administration of President Donald Trump departed from the CDC’s typical process for changing childhood vaccine recommendations.
Montana Free Press spoke to Atty Moriarty, a Missoula-based pediatrician and president of the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, about her perspective on the CDC’s changes. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
MTFP: What happened in this most recent change and how does that differ from the CDC’s normal process for adjusting childhood vaccination schedules?
Moriarty: The way that vaccines have traditionally been recommended in the past is that vaccines were developed, and then they traditionally went through a formal vetting process before going to the [CDC]’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, which did a full review of the safety data, the efficacy data, and then made recommendations based on that. Since November 2025, that committee has completely been changed and is not a panel of experts, but it is a panel of political appointees that don’t have expertise in public health, let alone infectious disease or immunology. So now, this decision was made purely based unilaterally on opinion and not on any new data or evidence-based medicine.
MTFP: Can you walk through some of the administration’s stated reasons for these changes?
Moriarty: To be honest, these changes are so nonsensical that it’s really hard. There’s a lot of concern in the new administration and in the Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC that we are giving too many immunizations. That, again, is not based on any kind of data or science. And there’s a lot of publicity surrounding the number of vaccines as compared to 30 years ago, and questioning why we give so many. The answer to that is fairly simple. It’s because science has evolved enough that we actually can prevent more diseases. Now, some comparisons have been made to other countries, specifically Denmark, that do not give as many vaccines, but also are a completely different public health landscape and population than the United States and have a completely different public health system in general than we do.
MTFP: Where is the American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP] getting its guidance from now, if not ACIP?
Moriarty: We really started to separate with the [CDC’s] vaccine recommendations earlier in 2025. So as soon as they stopped recommending the COVID vaccine, that’s when [AAP] published our vaccine schedule that we have published for the last 45 years, but it’s the first time that it differed from the CDC’s. We continue to advocate for immunizations as a public health measure for families and kids, and are using the previous immunization schedule. And that schedule can be found on the [AAP’s] healthychildren.org website.
MTFP: Do any of the recent vaccine scheduling changes concern you more than others?
Moriarty: I think that any pediatrician will tell you that 20-30 years ago, hospitals were completely full of babies with rotavirus infection. That is an infection that is a gastrointestinal disease and causes severe dehydration in babies. I’m nervous about that coming roaring back because babies die of dehydration. It’s one of the top reasons they’re admitted to the hospital. I’m nervous about their recommendation against the flu vaccine. [The U.S. is] in one of the worst flu outbreaks we’ve ever seen currently right now and have had many children die already this season.
MTFP: Do you think, though, that hearing this changed guidance from the Trump administration will change some families’ minds about what vaccines they’ll elect to get for their children?
Moriarty: Oh, absolutely. We saw that before this recommendation. I mean, social media is such a scary place to get medical information, and [listening to] talking heads on the news is just really not an effective way to find medical information, but we see people getting it all the time. I meet families in the hospital that make decisions for their kids based on TikTok. So I think that one of the effects of this is going to be to sow more distrust in the public health infrastructure that we have in the United States that has kept our country healthy.
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The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 8, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 8 drawing
05-12-13-39-48, Lucky Ball: 13
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Jan. 8 drawing
05-15-20-28, Bonus: 16
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
By Micah Drew DAILY MONTANAN
With the start of the new year, Montanans on the lowest end of the pay scale will get a small boost as the state’s mandatory minimum wage increase goes into effect.
As of Jan. 1, Montana’s minimum wage increased from $10.55 to $10.85.
Stemming from a 2006 law, Montana’s minimum wage is subject to a cost-of-living adjustment, based on the national increase in the consumer price index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
According to state law, Montana businesses not covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act are those whose gross annual sales are $110,000 or less may pay $4 per hour.
Montana is one of 30 states — plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands — that have a minimum wage higher than the federal rate of $7.25.
Twelve states, plus D.C. adjust their wages annually based on set formulas.
Montana has one of the lowest minimum wages that exceeds federal levels, with only West Virginia coming in lower among states at $8.75. The highest minimum wage is in D.C., at $17.25.
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