A Great Falls man who trafficked methamphetamine was sentenced in federal court Jan. 13 to 220 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Michael Lee Wakeford, 62, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of money laundering.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

Law enforcement learned defendant Wakeford was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine in Great Falls and elsewhere between approximately late 2019 or early 2020 through at least January 2021. Wakeford obtained methamphetamine from a source of supply in Arizona for redistribution in Montana. In late 2021 or early 2022, Wakeford introduced his brother, Daniel Wakeford, to his source of supply in Arizona. During this trip, the Wakefords acquired between five and 10 pounds of methamphetamine that they later transported to and sold in Montana, according to court documents.

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Law enforcement spoke with numerous people who received meth from Mike Wakeford between 2020 and 2021.

In November 2024, an informant disclosed that he/she met Wakeford at a pre-release center in Great Falls in 2020 and began working with him to distribute meth.

The informant told investigators that Wakeford would provide the informant with meth to re-sell and to use. The first time, Wakeford gave the informant about two ounces of meth, but eventually provided pound-quantities of meth. This informant stated Wakeford made numerous trips to Arizona to resupply, according to Alme’s office.

In January 2021, a second informant disclosed he/she met Wakeford when they were in prison together in 2020. Upon release, the informant received meth from Wakeford for use and resale about eight times. The informant estimated he/she received about two pounds of meth from Wakeford.

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Wakeford has several prior convictions for drug offenses, including a conviction in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana for aiding and abetting possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

In January 2024, Wakeford purchased a car through an intermediary from a car dealer in Great Falls for $10,099 in cash. The funds used to purchase the car were proceeds from the crime of possession with intent to distribute meth, according to court documents.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Starnes and Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The Russell Country Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.