Two more charged in drug bust for possessing, distributing meth

A Flathead County man and woman pleaded not guilty Sept. 16 to federal felony drug charges as part of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Northwest Drug Task Force that already had resulted in charges being filed against two men earlier this year.

Jacqueline Diane Erger, 45, of Kalispell, and Jacob Edward Gentry, 45, of Somers, both pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, each could be sentenced to life in prison and $10 million in fines.

Bryce Fischer of Kalispell and Nathan Glen Kirkland, 45, of Lakeside, were charged in July and August in federal court on identical charges to those Erger and Gentry are facing. Kirkland also was asked to forfeit more than $26,000 that was found and is believed to have come from drug activity.

According to court documents, authorities began investigating Fischer in March 2013. A confidential informant said that they had bought drugs from Fischer several times.

More than a year later, Fischer contacted the informant, saying he was about to get a shipment of meth. The informant notified authorities, who arranged for a bust.

Officers went to a residence at Cynthia Court in Evergreen, where they saw Fischer and another man in a truck.

The drug transaction between Fischer and the informant was moved to a Kalispell hotel. Officers stopped Fischer’s truck as it was traveling to the hotel and searched the vehicle.

Just under a pound of methamphetamine was found. Fischer and Kirkland allegedly admitted to trafficking drugs. Kirkland said he had just come home from working on oil rigs in Iraq and had picked up the drugs in Colorado. He allegedly transported the drugs home from Denver International Airport through Glacier National Park International Airport.

Kirkland was released from custody pending arraignment. Then on June 6, an anonymous person advised authorities of suspected drug activity in Somers. An informant was used to set up a purchase for a half-pound of meth outside a casino on the outskirts of downtown Kalispell.

When officers arrived, they found a truck bearing a Montana custom license plate that read: “oilman!.” Officers recognized this from the previous investigation as Nathan Kirkland’s license plate.

Gentry was found driving the truck. As officers searched the vehicle, he allegedly said “there’s no need to tear the rig apart, it’s on the passenger side.”

A half-pound of crystal meth was found in the truck, along with $25,950 that was sorted in $1,000 stacks banded with rubber bands.

During questioning, Gentry said the meth was not his, but that he had planned on dealing it for Kirkland. Gentry claimed Kirkland had just received four pounds of meth via a mail shipment from Arizona.

Gentry claimed the meth had been mailed to a woman named Jackie Erger, who was having the drugs sent to a trucking business where she worked in Evergreen. Gentry said he had seen Erger and Kirkland open two packages that each carried about two pounds of methamphetamine. Gentry also said he thought Kirkland kept most of the drugs in a safe at Erger’s residence, though Erger did not have the combination to the safe.

When officers searched Erger’s home they found shipping labels for two packages that were mailed from Arizona to the trucking company.

The packages both weighed a little more than 3.5 pounds. A safe was also seized from the residence, and was found to contain drugs.

Kirkland disappeared the night Erger’s home was searched. Erger said he took her car and likely left to “start a new life.”

Kirkland was arrested in Flathead County on June 22. All four defendants agreed to appear in court and were released from custody.

Reporter Megan Strickland may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.