A Helena resident, David Alan Moorse, 39, was sentenced to 148 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. The sentencing took place in Great Falls, with Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presiding.
Moorse pleaded guilty in April 2025 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, law enforcement learned that Moorse was distributing fentanyl powder in Montana and had communicated with a source about his supply in Helena, even sending photos of the drugs.
On January 9, 2025, authorities arrested Moorse at a casino in Helena on a state probation violation warrant. During the arrest, officers found 94 grams of methamphetamine, 106 grams of fentanyl pills, and 25 grams of fentanyl powder in his vehicle. In an interview after his arrest, Moorse admitted selling one to ten fentanyl pills daily to support his own drug use but denied distributing large quantities despite the amount seized from his car. A search of his phone revealed messages connected to the distribution of both methamphetamine and fentanyl.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and investigated by the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.
"This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN," according to officials.
