BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Three people are facing felony charges after an investigation into alleged nonconsensual drugging and attempts to end a pregnancy in Bellingham.
32-year-old Jean Brando Zintz, 30-year-old Michael M. Montano, and 30-year-old Ciara L. Miller were taken into custody between November 5, 2026, and November 8, 2026, according to records from the Bellingham Police Department (BPD) and Whatcom County Jail.
Zintz was arrested on probable cause for attempted 1st-degree manslaughter (domestic violence), 2nd-degree assault (domestic violence), felony domestic violence order violation, and placing poison or other harmful objects or substances in food, drink, medicine, or water (domestic violence). Montano and Miller were each arrested on probable cause for complicity to attempted 1st-degree manslaughter, complicity to 2nd-degree assault, and complicity to placing poison or other harmful objects or substances in food, drink, medicine, or water.
According to Whatcom County Superior Court records, Zintz was served on July 11, 2025, with 2 pre-trial domestic violence protection orders prohibiting him from contacting a woman or coming within 1,000 feet of her.
The two resumed contact around March 2026, when she became pregnant, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by BPD. Zintz initially reacted negatively, and the woman was offered money to terminate the pregnancy and declined. Zintz subsequently told her he supported the pregnancy and began purchasing prenatal supplements and capsules, insisting she take them.
The woman reported that she began experiencing medical complications during the early stages of her pregnancy while staying at Zintz’s residence in the 1700 block of E Illinois Street. A toxicology screening on May 15, 2026, showed an unconfirmed positive result for benzodiazepines, which she reported she had not knowingly taken.
On June 15, 2026, she was treated at an emergency department for low blood pressure. Her blood pressure later dropped further, leading to a referral to a cardiologist.
The woman stopped communicating with Zintz in July 2026, after which her blood pressure improved.
On October 5, 2026, Montano, who is Zintz’s brother, contacted the woman through Facebook Messenger. Montano offered to provide physical evidence and information in exchange for $100. Montano stated that Zintz had paid Miller, Montano’s girlfriend, to obtain prescription abortion medications in Miller’s name. Montano stated Zintz put medication inside the woman’s choline supplements and drugged her with sedatives while she slept to place abortion medication under her tongue or vaginally.
On October 20, 2026, the woman reported the allegations and provided message screenshots and medical records to BPD detectives.
On October 29, 2026, BPD detectives served a search warrant at Zintz’s residence. Detectives seized 4 200mcg tablets of Medoz misoprostol from a desk in Zintz’s bedroom, alongside multiple choline containers, prenatal vitamins, 14 5mg oxycodone pills, doxylamine and melatonin sleep aids, suspected cutting agents, laboratory glassware, a magnetic mixer, a pregnancy test box, an ultrasound photograph bearing the woman’s name, and a copy of the active no-contact order.
On November 5, 2026, Whatcom County Superior Court Judge David E. Emerick signed an arrest warrant for Zintz, and bail was set by the court to be determined upon execution.
On November 5, 2026, BPD officers arrested Montano without incident at an unauthorized encampment near Sunset Pond. He was booked into the Whatcom County Jail.
On the morning of November 8, 2026, the U.S. Marshals Service Arizona Wanted Violent Offender Task Force – East Valley arrested Zintz in Mesa, Arizona. Zintz was booked into the Mesa Jail pending extradition proceedings to Whatcom County.
On November 8, 2026, BPD patrol officers located Miller in an unauthorized encampment in the 4500 block of Meridian Street and arrested her without incident. She was booked into the Whatcom County Jail.
Zintz is currently facing the following felony charges in 3 Whatcom County Superior Court cases prior to the new charges.
- 2nd-degree assault – strangulation
- protection order violation – assault
- protection order violation
- stalking with a previous conviction/protective order violation/deadly weapon/retaliation
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