Monica Hulit Sentenced in Great Falls Gun-for-Meth Ring

Monica Hulit, 31, of Great Falls, Montana, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for her role in a sprawling gun-for-methamphetamine trafficking ring that stretched across state lines and into tribal communities. U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris handed down the sentence, which also includes 2 years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. Hulit’s conviction marks the final chapter in the prosecution of six co-defendants tied to the illicit exchange of firearms for methamphetamine in and around Great Falls.

The operation began in the summer of 2015, when multiple meth dealers—including Hulit and Story Wood of Livingston, Montana—connected at a supplier’s home in Great Falls. The group coordinated drug runs into Washington and Idaho to stockpile meth for redistribution locally and on nearby Indian reservations. But the trade didn’t stop at drugs: members openly discussed swapping firearms for meth, creating a volatile mix of weapons and narcotics that federal prosecutors say destabilized the region.

Hulit’s downfall began during an out-of-state drug run with Story Wood and an unnamed male. On August 23, 2015, the trio was cited for shoplifting at a Walmart in Smelterville, Idaho. Deputies noted they were traveling together in a gold Honda Accord with Montana plates—a detail that would soon trigger a chain of investigations. Two days later, Montana Highway Patrol stopped the same vehicle for speeding in Lewis and Clark County. Troopers grew suspicious after detecting inconsistent stories and nervous behavior, particularly from driver Wood.

When Wood refused consent to search the car, troopers impounded the Honda Accord pending a warrant. The male passenger was arrested on an outstanding warrant; Hulit and Wood walked away from the scene, abandoning the vehicle. A towing company hauled the car to a secure lot in Wolf Creek. But by August 26, the evidence had been compromised: the storage fence was damaged, evidence tape on the car was tampered with, and drug paraphernalia was found inside—indicating someone had broken in after impound.

The investigation expanded when, on September 2, 2015, Great Falls police discovered a storage unit complex had been breached. Thieves cut through a rear fence and removed locks from three units—only one of which appeared fully ransacked. The owner arrived to find belongings scattered and critical items missing, possibly linked to the impounded vehicle’s contents. Investigators connected the break-in to the ongoing drug and weapons ring, tightening the net on all involved.

Five co-defendants had already been sentenced before Hulit’s hearing: Dawn Evans of Kevin, Montana, received 24 months; Marty Krominga of Great Falls got 28 months; Alvin Roe of Lewistown was sentenced to 33 months; Richard Stampka of Great Falls received 12 months and one day; and Story Wood was hit with 54 months—the longest term. Federal authorities say the coordinated sentencing reflects the seriousness of cross-jurisdictional drug and weapons trafficking, especially when tribal lands are exploited as distribution zones.