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Bonnie and Andres Castro are one of a growing number of people who feel that the Billings Police Department is targeting racial minorities in Billings' South Side. Unlike the others, the Castros made the department pay, to the tune of a $50,000 settlement.

In August 1999, the Castros were stopped twice by police. The first time was for honking their horn and waving at a neighbor. The officer said it was illegal to use the horn, unless it was an emergency. The second stop occurred in Billings' South Side when they drove by an apartment complex surrounded by dozens of police vehicles. At this time, law enforcement was in the process of serving warrants in a major roundup of suspected drug dealers in Yellowstone County. Mrs. Castro knew a co-worker who lived in the complex, so the Castros decided to drive by again and take another look.

The Castros were stopped by a Billings Police officer and cited for no registration or proof of insurance. Both charges were later dropped. The Castros claim the officer told them he had probable cause that they had weapons and drugs in their possession.

In 2000, Montana ACLU agreed to represent the Castros and filed a complaint with the Montana Human Rights Commission. The complaint alleged that the police only stopped the Castros because they are Hispanic, something easily known by their license plates which read "PUREMEX." The City of Billings agreed to settle the case for $50,000. It did not admit to any wrongdoing, but did agree to collect information on the race of people stopped for traffic violations for the next two years. The city says it settled the case to avoid the costs of litigation.