A federal judge sentenced a Kalispell woman to five years behind bars on July 6 for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Following her prison stint, Destinee Rayne Hardesty, 40, will spend three years under supervised release. She pleaded guilty to the charge in March.

Prosecutors alleged that Hardesty was immersed in drug dealing in the Flathead Valley, accusing her of coordinating shipments, preparing the drugs for sale and delivering to buyers in Kalispell. According to a Department of Justice press release, authorities caught Hardesty during a controlled delivery of a package containing two pounds of methamphetamine.

Hardesty showed up to collect, officials said. Under questioning, she allegedly admitted to planning to distribute the drug. She also told investigators that she kept drugs in her home, pitched in to pay for new shipments and made about 50 deliveries of methamphetamine in the span of a year, according to the press release.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Northwest Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Missoula Drug Task investigated the operation. The investigation falls under the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which sees federal, tribal and local authorities cooperate in targeting violent crime in the state.

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen oversaw the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].