HELENA - Barbara Jean Satrom, 33, of Missoula was sentenced today to serve 27 months in prison and five years on supervised release for her participation in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribution and distribution of methamphetamine. The charge stemmed from a one-count superseding information filed in May of this year. Satrom entered a guilty plea to the single count in June. U.S. District Court Judge Charles C. Lovell issued the sentence.
Judge Lovell previously sentenced Satrom’s codefendants on similar charges this summer. Tillian Jay Gonzalez, 33, of Yakima, Washington was sentenced to 130 months in prison and five years’ supervised release on June 15, 2017. Rebecca Jean Belling Frankforter, 33, of Helena was sentenced on June 20, 2017, to 40 months in prison and five years supervised release.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the United States was prepared to prove that during the month of May 2016, controlled purchases of methamphetamine were made from Tillian Jay Gonzalez, Barbara Satrom, and Rebecca Frankforter in Missoula and Helena, Montana. Gonzalez brought methamphetamine from Washington to Montana where Satrom and Frankfurter sold the methamphetamine for Gonzalez. Gonzalez also sold methamphetamine himself. The investigation ended with a pursuit of Gonzalez from Mineral County, Montana, to Shoshone County, Idaho.
On May 3, 2016, Barbara Satrom sold four ounces of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Missoula, Montana. It was later determined through the course of the investigation that Gonzalez was Satrom’s supplier of the methamphetamine.
On May 6, 2016, Gonzalez sold four ounces of methamphetamine to the undercover officer in Missoula, Montana. On May 7, 2016, Gonzalez sold another four ounces to the undercover officer in Missoula, Montana.
On May 10, 2016, an undercover officer purchased eight ounces of methamphetamine from Gonzalez and Frankforter in Helena, Montana. Arrangements were made between the undercover officer and Gonzalez, for Gonzalez to deliver one pound of methamphetamine to the undercover officer on May 15, 2016.
On May 15, 2016, law enforcement attempted to stop Gonzalez as he entered Montana. A vehicle pursuit took place. After Gonzalez stopped his vehicle in Shoshone County, Idaho, he fled on foot. He was apprehended after he threw approximately four pounds of methamphetamine into the woods. Law enforcement seized the methamphetamine.
All of the methamphetamine purchased and recovered was sent to the DEA laboratory for testing. It was all 97 to 99 percent pure.
The case was investigated by the Missouri River Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
