Man admits pot operation

A Kalispell man has admitted using U.S. Forest Service land to grow marijuana.

Smoky Alan Geldrich, 27, of Kalispell pleaded guilty on Thursday in Flathead District Court to one felony count of criminal manufacture of dangerous drugs.

On the witness stand, he admitted growing marijuana in buildings constructed on Flathead National Forest land between Sept. 1 and Sept. 20, 2013.

Geldrich’s attorney Brent Getty said during Geldrich’s admissions that he had agreed to enter a plea in the case because “early on it became clear that you were probably going to be found guilty of the crime.”

Geldrich agreed that the evidence was not in his favor.

Geldrich’s alleged co-conspirator Skylar Wiegenstein, 25, of Great Falls, is set to be arraigned Feb. 4 on an identical felony charge for manufacture of dangerous drugs.

Court documents claim the pair were found after a U.S. Forest Service special agent found illegal structures had been built in part of the forest. Several reports had allegedly been made about a possible marijuana grow operation being housed in the buildings.

No one was at the site on Sept. 6 during an initial investigation, but the agent found that there were 20 or 30 marijuana plants in the area that appeared to have been tended to by people.

The agent conducted a surveillance operation on Sept. 20, when Wiegenstein and Geldrich allegedly visited the site carrying duffel bags.

A search of the bags revealed 40 marijuana plants.

Geldrich is set for sentencing on March 17. Prosecutor Andrew Clegg said that the Forest Service has requested the perpetrators disassemble the buildings they illegally constructed.

Geldrich agreed to remove the buildings.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.