Pablo meth dealer sentenced to prison

MISSOULA — A Pablo man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine and heroin in the Lake County community was sentenced Thursday, March 17 to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.

Keith Charles Baylor, 35, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.

In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that in May 2021, Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Flathead Tribal Police officers were on routine patrol when they made a traffic stop of Baylor when he failed to signal. Officers determined that Baylor was on state probation, which had a pick-up order for him, and also had an active tribal arrest warrant. Baylor was arrested and during a search of the vehicle, law enforcement found gram quantities of meth and heroin along with drug paraphernalia. A search of a cell phone found in the vehicle indicated that Baylor was involved in drug distribution. Baylor told officers he had made several trips to Spokane to transport drugs and had been working with larger drug dealers in Billings.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Clark prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Flathead Tribal Police and Homeland Security Investigations.