Local man sentenced in Montana meth case

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A Washington state man has been sentenced to more than six years in prison and ordered to forfeit more than $278,000 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says 50-year-old Mark Irvin Roberts of Newport, Washington, was sentenced on June 4 by U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen in Missoula.

Roberts pleaded guilty in February, Prosecutors said two co-defendants purchased two ounces of methamphetamine from Roberts in Idaho and returned to Montana, where they were arrested. One reported buying meth from Roberts for about six weeks and the other reported buying eight ounces of meth from Roberts for redistribution in Montana.

Charging documents say Roberts was arrested in February 2013 when he traveled to Montana to sell meth and was apprehended with three ounces of the drug.