Washington man convicted of trafficking drugs in Lake County

A 58-year-old resident of Port Orchard, Wash., was sentenced today after being found guilty of trafficking methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine in Lake County last year, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy sentenced David Loren Waldeck to 23 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. A jury found the defendant guilty in April 2023.

“We all know the consequences that accompany the distribution of dangerous drugs in our Montana communities. We are committed to helping our law enforcement partners, federal, state, local and tribal, hold traffickers like David Waldeck accountable as we continue to work to stem the tide of poisonous substances from entering our state,” said Laslovich in a press release.

The government alleged in court documents and at trial that on Oct. 24, 2022, Flathead Tribal police officers stopped and arrested an individual on outstanding warrants and learned that a person, named “David,” was in Kalispell and coming back to Polson that day with meth and fentanyl to distribute.

The police officers stopped Waldeck later that day and located 4,212 fentanyl pills, approximately 837 grams, or 1.8 pounds of meth, and approximately 489 grams, or a little more than one pound, of cocaine in his vehicle.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer S. Clark and Amanda L. Myers prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Flathead Tribal Police Department.