A Spokane, Washington, man was sentenced on July 29 to 10 years in prison and four years of supervised release for possessing a firearm while intending to distribute fentanyl in Missoula, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith.
Patrick William Allen, age 55, pleaded guilty in February to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided over the sentencing.
Court documents indicated that Allen was considered a “high-level” supplier who regularly transported illicit drugs from Washington into the Missoula area. Investigators learned from an informant on January 23 that Allen frequently brought drugs into Missoula and had recently sold fentanyl there. The next day, another source reported that Allen was staying at the Broadway Inn Hotel in Missoula. Agents obtained a warrant and found Allen with a woman in his hotel room.
Allen told investigators he had a loaded gun in his suitcase, which was open on his bed. Authorities discovered more than half a pound of fentanyl, 39 grams of methamphetamine, five grams of crack cocaine, and $8,200 cash inside the room. Allen admitted ownership of all items found and said the woman present was not involved.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana and investigated by the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force. The office contributes to community safety by addressing violent crime among other issues; it operates out of Billings, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula as part of its statewide mandate; is appointed by the Attorney General; focuses on ethical enforcement of federal laws; protects public funds; and draws on leadership experience such as that provided by former U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme—who has held senior roles both within government service and private practice, according to the official website.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is described as a nationwide Department of Justice initiative coordinating efforts among law enforcement agencies at various levels to combat violent crime through strategies tailored for specific communities.