Richard Stroh, Methamphetamine Trafficking, MT 2024

Eight defendants, including ringleader Richard Stroh, were convicted in federal court for flooding Montana with nearly 11 pounds of methamphetamine while stockpiling a virtual arsenal of illegal firearms. The operation, spearheaded by the Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, culminated in the seizure of 68 weapons—among them a fully automatic machine gun, two 37-millimeter grenade launchers, homemade explosives, silencers, and thousands of rounds of live ammunition. The cache, amassed by drug traffickers across Missoula and Northwest Montana, underscores a dangerous fusion of narcotics and firepower that federal prosecutors called a direct threat to public safety.

The key figures in the conspiracy—Richard Stroh, Logan Weniger, Neal Maddox, Misty Beck, Luke Hayes, Ryan Hippenstiel, Shacotta St. Onge, and Katrina Everhart—pleaded guilty to federal charges including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Weniger was sentenced to 17.5 years; Maddox received 15 years. All eight received a minimum of 51 months in federal prison. Chief U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen ordered the forfeiture of all 68 firearms and nearly $11,000 in cash tied to the operation.

The investigation ignited in 2015, when law enforcement began probing underground drug networks in and around Missoula. Interviews led to search warrants that exposed a far-reaching distribution scheme stretching into Idaho. Authorities found that members were not only trafficking meth but also routinely trading firearms for drugs—an alarming barter economy that fueled violence and addiction. Stroh, Weniger, and Maddox orchestrated deliveries while others facilitated storage, exchange, and street-level sales.

The seized arsenal shocked even seasoned agents: multiple semi-automatic assault rifles, high-capacity magazines, laser sights, unregistered silencers, and one machine gun capable of fully automatic fire. The presence of homemade grenades and grenade launchers elevated the threat beyond typical drug cases, suggesting paramilitary-level preparedness. Investigators from the FBI, Missoula City Police, and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation said the weapons were not for protection—they were tools of dominance in a violent underworld.

“This operation put an end to organizations that were delivering dangerous drugs straight into our Montana communities,” said Mike Cotter, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana. “Methamphetamine has a devastating ripple effect—it ruins lives, families and communities. I am proud of the hard work and long hours the members of this operation invested in these cases. Our state is a safer place as a result.”

The Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force—comprised of the FBI, Missoula Police, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Probation, and Montana Department of Corrections Probation and Parole—led the multi-year probe. Critical support came from the FBI’s SWAT Team and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office. All eight defendants were indicted by Montana grand juries, pleaded guilty, and were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot. Maddox and Beck received their sentences on December 16, 2016, closing the final chapter in a case that laid bare the deadly nexus of drugs and weapons in rural America.