Trego woman pleads guilty to meth trafficking

A 26-year-old Trego woman pleaded guilty during U.S. District Court proceedings July 10 in Missoula to a charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Brandy Burkowski was involved in trafficking pound quantities of meth from California to Flathead County, allegedly with Kalispell resident Lucas Brager.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, agents seized a truck on Aug. 17, 2011, during a burglary investigation. At the time it was seized, it was occupied by Brager, Burkowski and another person. A search of the vehicle turned up meth and suspected heroin as well as three firearms.

When interviewed several days later, Burkowski admitted she and another person had made several trips to California to pick up pound quantities of meth to bring back and distribute in Flathead County. Burkowski said she originally was dealing methamphetamine to Derek Heft but was now receiving meth from Heft.

Burkowski also said she received and distributed roughly 2 pounds of meth every other week, traveling to Casper, Wyo., once each week for two years, receiving 20 ounces of meth each time.

When Brager was interviewed on Oct. 31, 2011, he said he was employed by Heft, Torgenrud (who owned the seized truck) and another person as an enforcer to collect drug debts from distributors and customers.

Brager said Heft would deposit large amounts of money into Wells Fargo bank accounts at the direction of the third person. Brager himself was paid between 35 and 50 percent of what he was able to collect. He was paid in meth, money or merchandise.

Brager, Heft and Torgenrud have pleaded guilty to federal charges and are awaiting sentencing.

Burkowski faces a mandatory minimum 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison along with five years of probation and a fine of up to $10 million. Her sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 12.

Local charges against those involved were filed but later dropped in order to make way for the federal charges.