A Butte woman was sentenced on July 14 to 11 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after being found with 27 pounds of methamphetamine in her car, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Carol Jane Soza, age 61, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided over the case.
According to court documents, Soza obtained methamphetamine from a source in Washington and sold it in Butte with the assistance of a partner. In January 2025, law enforcement learned from an individual who had been purchasing meth from Soza twice monthly that she regularly traveled to Washington for her supply. The following month, officers stopped Soza and her partner in Rocker and discovered ten pounds of meth in her partner’s suitcase and another seventeen pounds in a duffle bag located in the trunk. Investigators also found Soza’s ledger detailing drug distribution activities and a specific entry showing that twenty pounds were paid for while seven pounds were “fronted.”
A search of a cell phone revealed messages indicating that Soza coordinated with her partner to acquire the drugs from Washington and distribute them locally. According to authorities, Soza served as the connection with the supplier while her partner managed local distribution efforts.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case; the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana focuses on protecting citizens through ethical enforcement of federal laws, defending national security, enhancing community safety and quality of life—including addressing violent crime—and safeguarding public funds; its offices are located across Billings, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula as part of its statewide operations, according to the official website.