Flathead woman faces federal drug trafficking charges

An investigation by the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, FBI and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office has left a local woman behind bars facing federal drug charges.

Kalynn Marie Moskaloff, 24, is charged with two felony counts of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and one felony count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Moskaloff was arrested and booked into the Flathead County Detention Center on May 17 on a federal hold. She is also facing a state drug charge for a separate incident.

According to charging documents, Moskaloff was part of a group trafficking large amounts of meth into the Flathead Valley. Some members of the group also were involved in a homicide that left a member of the alleged group dead of a gunshot wound.

According to charging documents in the federal case, Moskaloff, who had a warrant for her arrest, was stopped by a county deputy on Jan. 21, 2020.

A search of the vehicle revealed meth, pipes and a 9mm semiautomatic handgun.

On May 12, 2020, a drug task force agent spoke with a confidential informant who said Moskaloff sold meth and heroin she received from Scott Daniels. Daniels was sentenced to three years in federal prison in May for meth trafficking.

On May 26, 2020, in another interview, an informant said Moskaloff acquired and sold about 2 pounds of meth per month between May 2019 and May 2020.

On June 25, 2020, another informant spoke with the federal agent and said Moskaloff spent time with Timothy Kuchinski. The informant said both were responsible for bringing the majority of the heroin to the region.

In another interview on July 25, 2020, a fourth informant said Moskaloff sold her meth. After a fifth interview with another informant, investigators learned Moskaloff allegedly sold heroin and meth.

Then, on Sept. 10, a federal agent responded to the scene of a shooting death on Trumble Creek Road where Leon Kavis admitted to shooting Kuchinski. Moskaloff allegedly said she was present when the shooting occurred and several confidential witnesses alleged Kuchinski had robbed Kavis of thousands of dollars of drug money in August 2020.

Kavis was sentenced June 4 to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for trafficking meth in Flathead and Missoula counties.

When Moskaloff’s vehicle was searched, a 9 mm handgun was found along with some meth. Moskaloff allegedly said the gun was lying next to Kuchinski after he was shot.

Then, on Dec. 11, 2020, a county deputy went to a casino in Kalispell after a 911 call and found Moskaloff in a vehicle with two men. After the county’s drug dog indicated the possible presence of narcotics, a search turned up a baggie with meth inside, a scale and a handgun with an obliterated serial number.

Five days later, investigators interviewed a sixth informant who said Moskaloff provided meth between March and September 2020. The informant said Moskaloff worked with Daniel Haslage to traffic illegal drugs before working with Kuchinski.

Haslage, who has a pending case in Sanders County allegedly involving a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle, is currently locked up in the Flathead County jail on felony charges related to the theft of thousands of dollars in tools and a Dodge Challenger.

On Feb. 19, 2021, a county deputy stopped a blue Cadillac with Montana plates because she knew Moskaloff drove the car, but her driving privileges had been revoked.

Moskaloff was arrested on a warrant and a search allegedly turned up 113 grams of meth, a .44 caliber handgun and other suspected drug paraphernalia. The gun reportedly was stolen from a local man by another man who officers knew to have a criminal history involving drug offenses.

On Feb. 26 and March 24, 2021, Kellen McGarry, then an inmate in the Flathead County Jail, called Moskaloff. An investigator reviewed the call and Moskaloff allegedly made several statements threatening violence against law officers or herself.

McGarry is scheduled to be sentenced June 24 on a meth possession conviction. A plea deal calls for a five-year prison sentence.

In the state case against Moskaloff, she faces a maximum sentence of five years in the Montana State Prison.

According to the charging document, on Dec. 11, 2020, Moskaloff was sitting inside a car with some people when witnesses believed drug activity may be occurring.

After a county deputy identified the driver of the vehicle as Moskaloff and others in the vehicle, a drug dog and its handler arrived and the dog alerted to the possible presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. After getting a search warrant, officers found guns, scales and glass pipes. They also found a silver container with what later proved to be methamphetamine in it inside a purse that also had Moskaloff’s wallet in it.

Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 406-758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com