Two plead guilty in meth conspiracy

A Washington woman who formerly lived in the Hungry Horse and Martin City area and her boyfriend have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Diane Walters, aka Diane Alsop, 37, of Bonney Lake, Wash., and Derek Heft, 27, of Kalispell, entered their pleas in federal court in Missoula on July 2. Heft also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Sentencing for each has been set for Oct. 16. They are both detained. Walters is a 1994 Columbia Falls High School graduate.

The Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigations and Homeland Security Investigations began investigating illegal meth distribution activities by Heft, Brandon Torgenrud, Thomas Bell and others in August 2011. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliot, Heft was receiving pound quantities of meth from Bell and another individual from Washington state.

On Oct. 24, 2011, agents detained Bell, Heft and Walters at a store in Kalispell. A search of Heft’s Ford Mustang turned up more than 700 grams of methamphetamine, several firearms, U.S. currency and cellular phones. Heft had a loaded 9 mm handgun on his person at the time of the arrest.

Heft was also believed to be trafficking in meth with a person labeled K.C. Heft allegedly admitted to agents that on the night of his arrest, he traveled to K.C.’s residence and received half a pound of meth. He also allegedly admitted receiving 4 to 8 ounces of meth on about 20 different occasions from K.C. or J.N., one of K.C.’s employees.

Walters allegedly admitted that she accompanied Heft when he met with meth suppliers, including K.C. and J.N. She said she accompanied Heft and Torgenrud to Las Vegas on Oct. 21, 2011, where they received one pound of meth and transported it back to Montana.

Heft and Walters each face a minimum of 10 years up to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years supervised release. Bell and Torgenrud have both pleaded guilty to federal charges and are awaiting sentencing.