Couple plead guilty to meth distribution
A Kalispell couple busted with more than a pound and a half of methamphetamine last fall pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute the illegal drug Monday in U.S. Federal Court in Missoula.
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 16 for Derek Anthony Heft, 27, and Diane Elizabeth Walters, also known as Diane Alsop, 37.
Heft also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Heft and Walters each face possible penalties of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years supervised release, according to a news release issued by Jessica T. Fehr, assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana.
Last August, the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, Montana Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigations and Homeland Security Investigations started a joint investigation into the methamphetamine distribution activities of Heft, Brandon Torgenrud, Thomas Bell and others.
Heft allegedly was receiving pound qualities of methamphetamine from Bell and another individual in Washington state.
In October, agents conducted visual surveillance in Flathead County and observed Bell meet with Heft.
Agents detained Heft, Bell and Walters, who was in Heft’s car at the time. A search of Heft’s car led to the seizure of more than 700 grams of methamphetamine, several firearms, money and cellular phones, according to Fehr.
Heft also was conducting methamphetamine trafficking business with two other unindicted coconspirators. He admitted on the night of his arrest that he received a half-pound of methamphetamine from them and four to eight ounces of methamphetamine on approximately 20 different other occasions.
Walters told agents that she was Heft’s girlfriend and would accompany him when he met with methamphetamine suppliers. She said she accompanied Heft and Torgenrud to Las Vegas in October when they received one pound of methamphetamine and transported it back to Montana.
Bell and Torgenrud previously pleaded guilty to federal charges and are awaiting sentencing, according to Fehr.