Missoula Police Arrest Drug Dealer, Seized 1,891 Fentanyl Pills and Meth
Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On December 4, 2022, Missoula Police Department officers received information regarding the distribution of dangerous drugs. Using this information, an officer applied for and was granted a search warrant for a room at the Staybridge Suites Hotel. Officers responded to the hotel to execute the warrant. Police Public Information Officer Lydia Arnold has more.
“Officers announced their presence and no one answered,” Arnold said. “Officers observed indicators indicating persons were inside the room. Officers gained entry to the room and a male, Kyle Westfall, was located and actively did not comply with the officer’s commands. Officers observed a window open with pills suspected to be Fentanyl in the windowsill.”
Suspect Resists Arrest
An officer made contact with Westfall and grabbed him by the right arm. Westfall actively attempted to pull away and was given several commands to stop resisting, but he continued. Eventually, officers were able to place handcuffs on Westfall and took him into custody.
Officers found a large quantity of blue pills in the room, some of which had been scattered on the floor and next to the window. The officer noted the window was cracked and it appeared that Westfall had been attempting to dispose of the pills through the open window. The officer further observed additional pills in the windowsill and noticed the pills had a “M30” marking, which he recognized to be fentanyl.
A Search Warrant was Executed
“During the search warrant, officers located a handgun, which returned stolen, pills, which tested presumptive positive for fentanyl, and a substance that tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine,” Arnold said. “A total of 1,891 suspected fentanyl pills were located, with 1,469 coming from inside the room and 422 recovered from outside. Some were colored and some were blue. This case is still under investigation with the Missoula Police Department Detective Division.”
Within the room, officers also found tinfoil with burnt residue, an electronic scale, a cellphone, a stolen Sig P320 handgun, two small plastic bags containing fentanyl, and another two small plastic bags containing methamphetamine.
Two of the packages tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine and weighed 13.7g and .3g, respectively. The other two packages tested presumptive positive for fentanyl, with an estimated weight of 3.6g and .25g, respectively.
Westfall was also questioned about the stolen firearm that was found in the room. Initially, Westfall stated he had gotten the firearm from another friend. Westfall later clarified that he had traded 30 fentanyl pills to another friend, who had provided him with the handgun.
The Plan was to Sell the Drugs
Court documents indicate Westfall stated that his friend had “fronted” him 1000 fentanyl pills and half an ounce of methamphetamine. Westfall stated the plan was to have Westfall sell the drugs and that his friend would have expected him to net $4,000-$5,000 in total sales from the pills and $300 from the methamphetamine.
It was later determined that Westfall had lied about his identity and his legal name was Shayden Westfall. Westfall is currently being charged with felony criminal possession with intent to distribute, felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs, felony tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, resisting arrest, and obstructing a peace officer.
The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.