Todd Franklin Sentenced To Prison For Drug Charges

The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula on March 26, 2014 before U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy, TODD SEAN FRANKLIN was sentenced to 121 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release.

The sentence is in connection with Franklin's December 2013 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott, the government stated that between May of 2007 and May of 2011, investigators of Lincoln County and the Northwest Drug Task Force (NWDTF), in an undercover capacity, made several purchases of both methamphetamine and marijuana from the defendant, Todd Sean Franklin.

During the week of January 5, 2013, Detectives were contacted by a confidential informant (CI). The CI advised detectives that Franklin told the CI that Franklin was selling methamphetamine and that he was obtaining the methamphetamine from an individual in the Sandpoint, Idaho area. On January 16, 2013, agents received the criminal history, vehicle registrations, and driver's license status checks for Franklin. The records check of Franklin's driver's license status indicated that his privileges were suspended. A records check of vehicles registered to Franklin indicates that he owns a 1990 GMC truck, bearing Montana license plate 719793A, registered in Flathead County. On January 15, 2013, agents contacted Montana Probation and Parole. The Probation and Parole Officer confirmed that Franklin is currently on Probation with the Montana Department of Corrections for Felony Distribution of Dangerous Drugs and Felony Possession of Dangerous Drugs.

Detectives were again contacted by the CI the week of January 13, 2013. The CI told detectives Franklin told the CI that Franklin would be traveling to Sandpoint within the next few days in order to purchase more methamphetamine.

On January 17, 2013, agents received a Montana District Court Search Warrant to affix a tracking device to Franklin's 1990 GMC truck. On January 18, 2013, agents affixed a GPS tracking device to Franklin's truck.

On January 30, 2013, the GPS tracker indicated that Franklin's truck traveled through Libby, Montana and stopped in Sandpoint, Idaho.

On January 31, 2013, agents were able to determine that the GPS tracking device located on Franklin's truck traveled from Sandpoint, Idaho north to Highway 2 and eastbound through Libby, Montana en route to Kalispell, Montana. Agents observed Franklin operating his truck and arranged to have marked patrol units conduct a traffic stop on Franklin due to the fact his driving privileges are suspended by the state of Montana. Franklin, as part of his probation with Montana DOC, cannot travel out of state without the permission of his probation officer.

Franklin did not have permission to leave the State of Montana. Patrol units conducted a traffic stop on Franklin's truck. When Franklin was ordered to exit the vehicle, Franklin refused the officers commands and started driving eastbound toward Kalispell, Montana at a high rate of speed. Once officers were able to stop Franklin's truck he was arrested and detained at the Flathead County Detention Facility. Franklin's truck was secured and towed to the Flathead County SWAT barn and secured with evidence tape.

Agents applied for and received search warrants from a Montana District Court for Franklin's residence and vehicles. Pursuant to the search detectives located several plastic bags each containing a quantity of suspected methamphetamine from the bed portion of the truck. A lab report indicated that the pure methamphetamine weighed in excess of 50 grams.