Washington man sentenced to 19 years for trafficking fentanyl into Montana while armed

MISSOULA - A Washington man who trafficked fentanyl from Seattle to Missoula while carrying a loaded handgun was sentenced today to 19 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.

Tyreece Kingsley Dunbar, 42, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

The government alleged in court documents that several sources had informed law enforcement that Dunbar was moving fentanyl from Seattle to Missoula by bus in early 2025. Agents arrived at the Greyhound bus station there on March 15, 2025, and found Dunbar wearing a face covering and body armor. He was also carrying a loaded Ruger .40 caliber pistol with a round in the chamber and a half pound of fentanyl.

"This defendant flooded our streets with deadly synthetic drugs, putting lives at risk for profit," said Special Agent in Charge Justin Gerken of the FBI Billings Field Office. "The sentence holds him accountable and furthers our commitment to protecting our communities from the devastating effects of illegal drug trafficking."

The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The FBI's Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.