Great Falls Roofer Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison

GREAT FALLS – The United States Attorney’s Office today announced that James Antonio Amato, 50, a Great Falls roofer, was sentenced to 88 months in federal prison followed by 4 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Brian Morris. Amato entered a guilty plea in September of 2015 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Amato faced a maximum sentence of  40 years in prison.

Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Betley told the court that in February 2015 the Russell Country Drug Task Force began to purchase methamphetamine from a local woman. Law enforcement later learned that James Amato had provided the woman with methamphetamine for redistribution in the Great Falls area.  Over the next few months, the task force completed numerous undercover purchases of methamphetamine and determined that on each occasion Amato was the woman’s source for methamphetamine. On several occasions, while the woman was under surveillance, law enforcement observed her meet the defendant and obtain methamphetamine which the agents had arranged to purchase.  Investigators also determined that Amato traveled to Helena, to meet his source, when he needed to replenish his supply of the drug.

On April 11, 2015, law enforcement stopped the defendant as he traveled back to Great Falls from Helena. Amato was searched and officers removed one-fourth of a pound of methamphetamine from his pants.  The defendant told law enforcement that he frequently picked up methamphetamine in Helena in order to transport it back to Great Falls. Officers also found seven checks in the defendant’s truck made out from the defendant to the defendant’s supplier of methamphetamine in Helena for a total of $10,562.96.

Parole does not exist in the federal system so Amato will serve all of the 7 year sentence, except for a small reduction if he maintains good behavior while incarcerated.  The investigation was conducted by the Russell Country Drug Task Force.