From the Courts - Federal District Court: Big Sandy couple sentenced to prison for trafficking meth on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation

From U.S. Attorney for District of Montana

GREAT FALLS — A Big Sandy couple who admitted distributing methamphetamine on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation were sentenced Wednesday to prison terms, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Clayton Gary Bailey, 48, was sentenced to 57 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Bailey’s wife, Brigitte Ann Bailey, 44, was sentenced to 44 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Each pleaded guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute meth.

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

The prosecution said in court documents that Sept. 12, 2019, officers with Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement made a traffic stop on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation of a vehicle driven by Clayton Bailey, who was wanted on a tribal court warrant. Officers also knew that Clayton Bailey had been identified by sources as a supplier of illegal drugs. Brigitte Bailey was a passenger. 

Clayton Bailey was arrested on the warrant and Brigitte Bailey was transported off the reservation. Officers impounded and searched the vehicle. Law enforcement found a glass jar and two plastic baggies that contained a total of about 66 grams of meth. On the driver-side floor, officers found a machete, a small hatchet, a knife and a small taser.

Clayton Bailey admitted to officers that he owned the meth and a small amount of heroin also found in the vehicle and that he had been selling drugs in the area for multiple months.

Brigitte Bailey admitted to being involved in trafficking meth. She disputed the amount of meth found in the vehicle, but agreed she had intended to distribute it.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement and Tri-Agency Drug Task Force.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36 percent from 2013 to 2018. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.