GREAT FALLS, Mont. — A 55-year-old Great Falls woman admitted Monday to her role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy that spanned over four years, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced.
Melissa Ann Barone pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, and at least five years of supervised release. Sentencing is set for March 26, 2025, before Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris.
Prosecutors alleged that Barone distributed meth in the Great Falls area and beyond between January 2020 and April 2024. Witness testimony from individuals who purchased or received meth from Barone corroborated her involvement. According to the government, Barone worked as a drug runner for her co-defendant, Daniel Allen Wakeford, who has also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Barone reportedly borrowed vehicles to travel outside of Montana to obtain meth.
As part of her guilty plea, Barone agreed to forfeit cash and assets seized during the investigation, including $74,951 in cash, an AK-47 pistol with a magazine, a 2016 BMW, and a 40-foot motorhome.
The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, IRS, Great Falls Police Department, and the Russell Country Drug Task Force under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. The program targets high-level criminal organizations through coordinated, intelligence-driven efforts.