Leichty sentenced on intent to distribute charge

A man who admitted to bringing drugs into Libby by train last summer was given over to the care of the state Department of Corrections for three years on Dec. 27.

Jared Leichty had pleaded guilty to a single count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute ahead of his sentencing. In exchange, prosecutors late last year agreed to drop two counts of use or possession of property subject to criminal forfeiture.

“I know what I did was wrong,” Leichty told the court. “I look forward to treatment and getting on the right side of this.”

Leichty and his partner, Patricia Stahl, arrived in Libby in August, bringing methamphetamine they had purchased in bulk in Washington state. The two dealt drugs out of area lodging houses and recruited a local man to aid with sales, according to court documents.

Detectives with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office caught wind of the duo’s operation by way of a criminal informant on Aug. 21, court documents said. They arranged for the informant to make controlled drug buys at a local motel. After the informant returned with several grams of a substance that tested presumptively positive for methamphetamine, the detectives secured a search warrant.

A sweep of the motel room turned up more methamphetamine, pipes, syringes, cash, heroin and a scale, court documents said. The detectives subsequently arrested Leichty and Stahl.

Under questioning, the two admitted selling eight ball of methamphetamine in the Libby area for about $150 each. They traded drugs to a local man, later identified as Tyler Wilkes, for a vehicle and recruited him to join their operation, according to court documents.

Leichty told authorities most of the profits from the drug sales had gone to lodging expenses, gambling and alcohol.

Stahl struck a plea deal in October. She received a partially suspended seven-year sentence with the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to a single count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute. Like Leichty, she received credit for time served.

Leichty also forfeited $638 and a silver Pontiac to authorities.

District Judge Matthew Cuffe described the sentence as just, “considering the defendant’s lengthy criminal history.”

Wilkes, the local man caught up in the drug ring, was arrested hours after authorities swept through Leichty and Stahl’s room. Authorities charged him with criminal possession of dangerous drugs and misdemeanor criminal possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was arrested again while on release in December, racking up additional charges of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia in a separate case.