By Alan Sorensen
A Havre man being tried on four felony counts of selling dangerous drugs plead guilty to two of the charges about half way through his trial in 12th Judicial District Court Friday.
Jury selection began Thursday morning in the trial of Byron Keith Wright, 45, who was accused of selling drugs on four different occasions in Havre in late 1997. According to court documents, the prosecution dropped two of the four charges against Wright in exchange for his guilty pleas.
Wright allegedly sold drugs to confidential informants of the Tri-Agency Drug Task Force twice at a residence in the 1600 block of Smithville Road. He also was charged with selling drugs to state drug enforcement officers once in the Atrium parking lot and again in the VFW Club parking lot.
Drugs listed in the complaints dating from Nov. 25 and Dec. 15, 1997, include heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, and marijuana.
Each of the charges carries a fine not to exceed $50,000 plus $20 prosecution fees and $5 surcharges and a sentence of between one year and life in Montana State Prison.
Judge John Warner ordered officers with the Community Corrections Division of the Montana Department of Corrections to perform a presentence investigation of Wright. He scheduled sentencing for 10 a.m. July 19.
