Wynton Ryan Magee, 35, of Missoula pleaded guilty on Aug. 4 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Magee faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug charge, along with an additional consecutive mandatory minimum of five years up to life for the firearm offense.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided over the plea hearing and will determine Magee’s sentence at a later date after considering federal sentencing guidelines and statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 30, 2026. Magee remains detained pending further proceedings.
According to court documents, law enforcement learned from multiple sources that Magee was distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Missoula area and had traded drugs for a handgun. In January 2026, agents discovered that Magee rented a motel room for Patrick Allen, another individual involved in fentanyl distribution who was sentenced last week to ten years in prison after pleading guilty earlier this year.
In February 2026, agents executed a search warrant on Magee’s hotel room where they found scales, plastic baggies, other items associated with drug distribution activities, as well as a handgun. Magee admitted traveling to Washington state to purchase fentanyl powder, which he then distributed locally.
Two months later while returning from Washington on Interstate 90, law enforcement attempted to stop Magee, but he led officers on a high-speed chase through Missoula before crashing his car. Officers recovered illicit drugs and paraphernalia from the vehicle; one occupant confirmed that two ounces of fentanyl had been purchased during the trip.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana operates offices in Billings, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula; it is part of the Department of Justice with responsibilities including prosecution of violent crime and safeguarding public funds, according to its official website.