U.S. Attorney Jesse A. Laslovich | U.S. Department of Justice
Two Missoula residents have admitted to charges related to distributing large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in their community. U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced that Taylor Gale Penny, 35, and Joey Lee Forward, 34, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. They face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison, along with a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
The case was presided over by U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto, with sentencing scheduled for April 24, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors before determining the sentences. Penny remains detained pending further proceedings, while Forward has been released.
Court documents reveal that the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force investigated Penny and Forward from November 2023 until September 2024 for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. It is alleged they moved more than 100,000 fentanyl pills and several pounds of methamphetamine during this period. Law enforcement encounters found them in possession of over 1,000 fentanyl pills and 1.5 ounces of methamphetamine.
Penny reportedly began distributing fentanyl in January 2024 to support her habit and claimed she distributed approximately 5,000 pills weekly in Missoula since March 2024, totaling over 120,000 pills in nine months. She met Forward two years ago and initially purchased fentanyl from him before collaborating on distribution efforts.
Forward confessed to distributing around 85 fentanyl pills daily along with methamphetamine and fentanyl powder.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is handling the prosecution while the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. For more information about PSN, visit Justice.gov/PSN.
