Related Federal Cases
Great Falls Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution and Money Laundering Charges
A Great Falls man who distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine was sentenced to 240 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Daniel Allen Wakeford, 61, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of money laundering.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the sentencing hearing. The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement learned Daniel Wakeford had been involved in the distribution of methamphetamine in Great Falls and elsewhere for several years.
A witness informed law enforcement they received methamphetamine from Wakeford for resale since 2020. Prior to 2021, the witness had received approximately two pounds of methamphetamine from Wakeford. In March 2021, however, law enforcement learned Wakeford provided the witness with roughly five pounds of methamphetamine for resale. Surveillance conducted by law enforcement corroborated the witness’s account.
Law enforcement spoke with numerous individuals who received methamphetamine from Wakeford between approximately 2020 and 2024. Those individuals outlined how Wakeford and others would provide them with methamphetamine for resale. In February 2024, an individual was apprehended in Billings, Montana with approximately 78 grams of methamphetamine in his possession.
He outlined how, among other things, he had recently assisted Wakeford with packaging several hundred thousand dollars in cash, how he received the methamphetamine from Wakeford in Great Falls, and that Wakeford made statements indicating he was conspiring to distribute a significant amount of methamphetamine.
Law enforcement determined that during the time of the conspiracy Wakeford did not have a significant source of legitimate income. However, on November 21, 2022, Wakeford paid $16,534 in cash for a new 2022 snowmobile in Great Falls. Following the original indictment in this case, law enforcement conducted a search of Wakeford’s home in Great Falls, Montana and located paperwork for a storage unit that Wakeford leased in Phoenix, Arizona.
Wakeford was arrested in Utah on a federal warrant while driving a motorhome valued at over $40,000. Inside the motorhome, officers located over $62,000 in cash, as well as additional paperwork related to the storage unit in Arizona. Federal agents in Arizona obtained a warrant to search the storage unit and located over 100 pounds of methamphetamine and a firearm.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Jeff Starnes prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Russell Country Drug Task Force. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
Mandatory Facts:
1. Defendant/Respondent: Daniel Allen Wakeford, 61, a resident of Great Falls, Montana.
2. Exact Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and money laundering.
3. City and State: Great Falls, Montana.
4. Exact Date: October 2024 (plea) and November 2024 (sentencing).
5. Sentence or Outcome: 240 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
6. Dollar Amounts:
– $16,534 (paid in cash for a new snowmobile on November 21, 2022)
– $62,000 (located in cash inside the motorhome)
– Over 100 pounds of methamphetamine (located in the storage unit in Arizona)
Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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