⏱ 2 min read
Patrick Louis Gastelo, a 47-year-old Arizona man, conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Billings, Montana, by arranging for a 2-pound shipment to be sent to his girlfriend’s home. The package, flagged by a USPS postal inspector on November 7, 2022, was intercepted and led to Gastelo’s eventual arrest. Gastelo had planned to sell the meth with the help of his girlfriend, Angelena LaFave, and another woman, Lindsay Whitewolf.
The investigation, conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Billings Police Department, revealed that Gastelo had worked with Sergio Tagaban, a fellow prison mate, to arrange the shipment. LaFave and Whitewolf were also involved in the plan, with LaFave confirming that the parcel was intended for Gastelo and that he and Tagaban were ‘brothers’ in prison.
Gastelo pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer. Tagaban and LaFave were convicted of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, while Whitewolf has pled guilty to the same charge.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Vestal and Colin Rubich. The sentence marks a significant blow to meth trafficking in Montana, with Gastelo’s conviction serving as a warning to those involved in the illicit trade.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: Montana
- Location: MT
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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