Hamilton meth trafficker sentenced to more than eight years in prison

MISSOULA — A Hamilton man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in Missoula and Ravalli counties was sentenced today to eight years and four months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.

George Thomas Walker, 44, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to possession with intent to distribute meth.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.

The government alleged in court documents that Walker trafficked methamphetamine in Missoula and Ravalli counties from about October 2019 until February 2021. Confidential informants told law enforcement that Walker was a prolific trafficker and that he mostly obtained his meth from Washington and brought it back to Missoula for distribution. In October 2020, law enforcement located Walker in his vehicle. In a search of the vehicle, officer found two firearms, ammunition, meth and drug paraphernalia. During a traffic stop of Walker in February 2021, law enforcement later searched his vehicle and recovered meth, heroin and other drug paraphernalia. And in March 2021 in Ravalli County, law enforcement searched the residence of an associate of Walker’s and recovered meth in property that Walker had left for safe keeping.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Missoula Police Department, Great Falls Police Department, Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Department of Correction’s Probation and Parole Division.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. 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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