Libby residents accused of meth trafficking plead not guilty
Two Libby residents accused of trafficking methamphetamine in Libby appeared in Lincoln County District Court last week and pleaded not guilty to the offenses.
Rochelle Denise Styles, 44, is charged with three felony counts of transferring illegal articles (dangerous drugs), criminal distribution of dangerous drugs and a misdemeanor count of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia.
She appeared with her public defender, Scott B. Johnson, and entered her pleas on Monday, Jan. 8. Johnson told District Judge Matt Cuffe that he could not represent Styles following the arraignment because a conflict had been identified.
Johnson said he would file a motion for her release. According to the Jan. 11 county jail roster, Styles was still locked up. Her bail was set at $100,000.
The other defendant, 32-year-old Trevar Alee Sheasby, is accused of criminal distribution of dangerous drugs, or in the alternative, criminal possession of dangerous drugs and one misdemeanor count of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia.
He appeared with attorney S. Charles Sprinkle and pleaded not guilty. Sprinkle said Sheasby was seeking a release on his own recognizance, which county Attorney Marcia Boris did not oppose. The Jan. 11 jail roster did not list Sheasby as an inmate.
Cuffe set hearings for both defendants on Feb. 12.
According to a probable cause statement by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Brandon Holzer, the case began on Dec. 18, 2023, when the department did a methamphetamine buy/bust operation at a Mineral Avenue location with Sheasby as the target.
A confidential informant was given $600 to buy an ounce of meth. Sheasby tried to get the informant to drive him to a trailer park to get the meth, but when the informant refused, Styles allegedly arrived with a cigarette pack containing 15.5 grams of meth.
According to Holzer’s report, after the deal was done, it appeared that Sheasby and Styles were attempting to leave in her vehicle. Holzer ran to the vehicle and told both people to show him their hands. Holzer reported that Styles complied while Sheasby allegedly dug through his pockets. Det. Dan Holskey ran to Sheasby and tackled him against the vehicle, gaining control of his arms.
Styles was taken into custody without incident, but Holzer reported that Sheasby had dropped a bag of meth weighing 7.4 grams, according to the court filing. Sheasby also had a needle on his person.
Later, jail staff told Deputy Cody DeWitt that a meth pipe was found on Styles during her search. She also allegedly had $400 of the money used in the operation when she was arrested while Sheasby had the other $200, including the only $100 bill used in the buy.
Holzer reported the bags of drugs field tested positive for meth.
Sheasby, a Libby resident, is also being held in the county jail on $100,000 bail. He is charged with two felonies, including distribution of dangerous drugs, possession of dangerous drugs, and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. His arraignment on the charges was scheduled for Monday, Jan. 8.
A second alleged incident on Dec. 19 inside the county jail led to more charges against Styles.
According to Deputy Holzer, he was contacted on Dec. 19 by Lincoln County Dispatch about a possible drug overdose in the county jail. An ambulance arrived to remove a woman that was in distress and was struggling physically with some type of overdose.
Holzer wrote that when he arrived, detention officer Sgt. Beckie Guerra was speaking with inmate Emily Chamberlain. Chamberlain said inmate Elizabeth Williams was having a panic attack or suffering from some sort of mental break.
Holzer then spoke with inmate Salli Bosma, who told the officer that, “we need to find the dope, it’s bad (profanity).” When Holzer asked Bosma if she knew where it was, she said "Roach" brought it in to the jail inside her when she came to jail.”
Holzer clarified that Rochelle Styles goes by the nickname "Roach" in the community. Holzer then checked the history of the cell and learned there were four females in it at the time of the incident. They allegedly included Williams, Bosma, Katherine Mutrie, Styles and Chamberlain.
Holzer reported that Chamberlain and Styles were the two people that had come into the cell in the last 24 hours while inmate Cricket Orsborn was released on Dec. 18, prior to the arrival of Chamberlain and Styles.
After the women were removed from the cell, Deputy Tony Jenson, Sgt. John Davis and Deputy James Derryberry searched the cell and were unable to locate any drugs or drug paraphernalia, according to Holzer’s report.
Holzer then interviewed Bosma who allegedly told the officer that Styles had a toothpaste thing and she was going through Williams’ things. He also wrote Bosma told him that Styles was putting soaked toilet paper into the back of the bathroom mirror and that Williams offered her meth and she refused.
Holzer also interviewed Mutrie. Mutrie said Williams was on suboxone and when Styles came in, she had drugs and that Williams allegedly took drugs, according to Holzer’s report. Mutrie also thought the meth was stored in a toothpaste holder.
During the investigation, a detention officer told Holzer she located a wet paper substance behind a mirror. Holzer saw the same thing and Deputy Brandon Huff field tested the substance which was positive for methamphetamine.
Holzer then spoke to Styles. He reported she allegedly said that when she awoke from sleeping, Williams was looking crazy and she thought she was having a panic attack because the other girls said she was having those. Styles said she didn't see Williams do any drugs or anybody else. She also said she didn’t bring any narcotics and did not have any drugs because she was strip searched prior to coming into the jail, according to Holzer’s report. Styles also allegedly said she does drugs, but just had a pipe on her.
Holzer then had a county maintenance man remove the mirror so he could collect the paper and he saw a crystalline substance on the paper when he shined a flashlight on it.
Holzer reported interviewing Williams in the intensive care unit at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center. According to Holzer, Williams didn’t know Styles’ name, only her race.
Williams said she had been clean of dangerous drugs since July 8 and that Styles gave her a cup of orange juice, said it had dope in it, but then said she was kidding. Williams said she drank the juice and everything went bad. She said Styles had drugs right after she got into the cell and that she put lines of meth on the sink and everyone in the cell did them.
Williams said she had done meth before and recognized it was meth. She said Styles brought it in her anus, but also said she got it off the table when the detention officer wasn’t looking. Williams said she is not sure which one is true.
Holzer wrote in his report alleging the crime that he was certain the meth was introduced into Lincoln County by Styles and that Chamberlain could be eliminated as bringing the drugs in, other than possibly exiting the facility with the leftover drugs or any other evidence. He also reported that he believed Styles turned the meth into a soluble and placed it into a liquid form because it is easier to hide than the crystal form.
Det. Holzer also believed the women lied to him about using Styles’ meth while in the cell with her after further investigation.
Holzer reported Bosma told him she lied about snorting lines with Styles, but also said she and Mutrie snorted lines.
A urine test from Mutrie indicated she allegedly used meth recently. She denied it and feels it was slipped to her through her toothpaste or something else and she took it unknowingly.
On Dec. 21, Holzer learned Williams had been moved to Cabinet Peaks Medical Center to Logan Health in Kalispell because her liver had shut down and other complications.
According to Flathead County Detention Center information, Williams was booked in on Dec. 22 on a hold until she can be transferred to a state Department of Corrections facility.
A conviction for distribution of dangerous drugs may result in a maximum sentence of 25 years in the Montana State Prison. A conviction for transfer of dangerous drugs may result in a maximum term of 10 years. A conviction for drug possession may result in a maximum term of five years. Six months in the county jail is the maximum sentence for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Rochelle Styles