Meth use sends Project 7 figure back to prison

A year after a former Kalispell woman was sentenced on federal weapons charges, she was back in court last week for a drug-related probation violation.

As a result, Tracy Brockway, 36, was sentenced to six more months in a federal prison.

Originally sentenced for her involvement in a paramilitary group called Project 7, Brockway violated the terms of her probation by using methamphetamine. Evidence of the illegal stimulant turned up in a routine urinalysis, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Kris McLean in Missoula.

She denied knowingly using the drug and said she believes someone slipped it into her coffee.

When she appeared before Chief U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy on Jan. 4, she was "contrite about falling in with the wrong crowd again," McLean said.

He said Brockway has been living in Georgia. Her new, six-month sentence will be served at a federal prison, although McLean doesn't know where that will be. Department of Justice information lists her as being in transit.

Her prison term will be followed by 30 months of supervised release.

Brockway was a key figure in the investigation of Project 7, named for the number 7 license plates that identify Flathead County. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Flathead County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Six members of the group were convicted of possessing illegal automatic firearms.

Project 7 members, including Brockway, met at rural locations where they trained with machine guns and practiced survival techniques.

Brockway pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess illegal weapons. In January 2005, she was sentenced to 27 months in prison. Her sentence was reduced to 16 months in July in exchange for testifying at the trial of co-conspirator Larry Chezem.

With credit for time served and other provisions, she was later released from prison.

At her original sentencing, she apologized for her involvement with the group.

"I just wanted to say how sorry I am. I am sorry I played a role in this conspiracy," Brockway told Molloy in Missoula a year ago.

Her attorney, Mike Sherwood, told Molloy that Brockway "has problems. She really needs to, I think, see somebody."

He talked about her drug use, depression and "self-image problem."

Brockway told Molloy she was "very committed to living my life from this day forward as a good person. I'd like to live my life healthy, become a positive product of society."

As a condition of her sentence, Molloy ordered Brockway not to have any contact with "people with disregard of the United States and the government of the United States," including militia members.

Molloy imposed other sentencing conditions: She may never possess another gun, must participate in chemical-treatment and mental-health programs, must abstain from alcohol use, perform 100 hours of community service, remain on supervised release after her prison term for three years, and must remain law-abiding.

Reporter Chery Sabol may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at csabol@dailyinterlake.com