Great Falls drug trafficker sentenced to prison after more than five pounds of meth seized

GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man who admitted trafficking methamphetamine after agents found more than five pounds of the drug at his residence was sentenced today to six years and eight months in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Tony Ray Sangrey, 35, pleaded guilty in April to possession with intent to distribute meth.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The prosecution said in court documents that in May 2019, Drug Enforcement Administration agents in Bakersfield, CA, contacted DEA agents in Montana with information that a California man was bringing pounds of meth to Great Falls. The Montana agents also learned that the meth was likely destined for Sangrey's residence.

The investigation determined that a meth shipment should have arrived at Sangrey's home in a black BMW. Great Falls police immediately went to Sangrey's home and saw a black BMW parked near the garage. Officers informed Sangrey they were securing the residence and getting a search warrant.

During a search of the garage, officers found a small room labeled "man cave." Inside this room, detectives found a safe and a computer used to monitor the exterior surveillance system on the house and garage. The safe contained a dozen pre-packaged bags of meth that totaled nearly one pound. In the BMW, officers found five heat-sealed bags of meth weighing almost five pounds. The total amount of meth seized was the equivalent of about 20,294 doses. Sangrey acknowledged to officers that he began dealing meth in the summer of 2018.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the DEA, Russell Country Drug Task Force and the Great Falls Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 to 2018. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.

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