Oregon man sentenced to eight years in prison for trafficking meth in Missoula area

MISSOULA  — An Oregon man who brought methamphetamine to Missoula for distribution was sentenced today to eight years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Tracy Jean Bell, 60, of Beaverton, Oregon, pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to distribute meth.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

In court documents, the government alleged that law enforcement in Missoula made a controlled purchase of meth in April 2021 from co-defendant Devin Neil Farley. To identify the supplier, law enforcement located Bell, who admitted to possessing approximately 14 ounces of meth in his vehicle and to supplying Farley. Bell also admitted to traveling to Montana from Oregon on numerous occasions to distribute meth. Farley previously was sentenced to eight years in prison for his conviction in the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.

 This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

XXX