Three people originally charged with a string of drug offenses in Flathead District Court have pleaded not guilty to drug charges in federal court.

Thomas Bell, 45, of Kalispell is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

Lucas Brager, 30, of Kalispell, and Brandy Burkowski, 26, of Fortine are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

They pleaded not guilty April 26 in Missoula during federal court hearings.

According to Flathead District Court documents, a Northwest Drug Task Force investigation of a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking operation had determined that Bell was selling up to one-pound quantities of the drug to dealers throughout the Flathead Valley.

Investigators used informants to make purchases of Bell’s supply through Derek Heft, 27, and his girlfriend, Diane Walters, 36, both of Bonney Lake, Wash.

Bell originally faced four felony charges and one misdemeanor for a total potential jail time of between two years and life, with fines up to $150,500. He now faces between 10 years and life in prison, up to five years of probation and fines of up to $4 million.

Flathead County Deputy Attorney Travis Ahner said state charges against Heft and Walters — with each facing between two years and life in jail — have been dropped to make way for federal charges.

Brager and Burkowski were arrested by deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office when a possible burglary was reported in Evergreen. Both initially gave false names to deputies.

The vehicle they had been traveling in was impounded and eventually searched. Inside, deputies found three jewel bags of heroin, four jewel bags of methamphetamine, a jewel bag of miscellaneous pills, a used syringe, two glass pipes containing drug residue, three jewel bags containing drug residue, nearly 60 empty jewel bags, a digital scale and six cell phones.

Brager originally faced four felony charges and three misdemeanor charges for a total possible sentence of 51 1/2 years in jail and a fine of up to $201,500. Burkowski originally faced four felony charges and two misdemeanor charges for a total possible sentence of up to 51 years in jail and a fine of up to $201,000.

Both are now facing federal prison terms of 10 years to life as well as fines of up to $4 million.