Lolo man sentenced to 8 years in prison for helping transport meth into Montana

MISSOULA – A Lolo man who helped bring pounds of meth into the state was sentenced today to eight years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Scott Twito said.

U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.

Carter Wade Badding, 37, pleaded guilty in June 2026 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

The government alleged in court documents that Badding traveled to Washington in February 2026 to help Jennifer Lynn Stephens, 45, pick up a load of methamphetamine and return it to Montana. Stephens was sentenced in October 2026 to 10 years in prison on drug trafficking and weapons charges.

Upon their return to Montana, law enforcement pulled Stephens and Badding over near Arlee and searched their vehicle. Inside they found several pounds of meth and a pair of handguns, both of which Badding said were his. Stephens told investigators that she had asked Badding to join her on the trip because her supplier scared her.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.