Mark Estes, a member of the Montana Boyz TikTok group, was accused of felony federal assault in February 2021 after allegedly being involved in a violent incident with a group of students three years ago. Estes, who was a student at Montana State University at the time, and his friends were allegedly involved in a brawl with another group of students in an off-campus fight. One of the alleged victims was hospitalized as a result of the incident, but no immediate arrests were made because everyone had left the scene by the time law enforcement arrived.
The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office was not informed of the incident until the injured parties were already at the hospital. The officer working on the case pursued a request for prosecution against Estes for aggravated assault and misdemeanor assault, as he believed there was probable cause for charges due to the severity of the injuries sustained by the victims. However, the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office ultimately decided not to press charges against Estes or the others involved, citing the incident as “mutual combat.”
It was revealed that Estes transferred schools shortly after the incident, moving from Montana State University to Montana Tech. Despite the lack of criminal charges, some penalties were imposed by Montana State University due to the involvement of Estes and the other parties who were students at the university at the time of the incident. Estes, along with his TikTok group members, gained popularity on social media for their lip-synching videos and country flair that attracted a large following on TikTok and Instagram.
Estes has gained further fame for his relationship with reality star Kristin Cavallari, with whom he has a 13-year age gap. The couple went public with their relationship in February and have reportedly introduced Estes to Cavallari’s children from her previous marriage. Despite his alleged criminal background, representatives for Cavallari did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It was confirmed that Estes’ fellow Montana Boyz members, Winterburn and Wilcox, were not named in the assault case files.
A video was obtained that showed Winterburn, another member of the Montana Boyz, using a racial slur in a social media post, prompting further scrutiny on the group. The clip showed Winterburn using a racial slur, causing surprise from Estes before the video cut off. Representatives for the Montana Boyz did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the video. The TikTok group, known for blending cowboy life with social media stardom, has found success on platforms like TikTok and Instagram for their unique persona and engaging content.
