WALLACE — A Montana man who previously pleaded not guilty to felony trafficking charges changed his plea earlier this week at the Shoshone County Courthouse. 

Brandon Taplin-Jones, 32, of Missoula, was charged with felony trafficking in methamphetamine and felony concealment or destruction of evidence. He also faced misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop earlier this year. 

On Monday, Taplin-Jones accepted a pretrial settlement offer from the state in which prosecutors agreed to drop all charges except the trafficking count in exchange for a guilty plea. 

In Idaho, trafficking methamphetamine carries mandatory minimum sentences based on quantity. Trafficking between 28 and 199 grams results in a mandatory three-year prison term and a $10,000 fine. 

Under the agreement, prosecutors will argue for the mandatory minimum penalty at Taplin-Jones’ sentencing in March. The amount of fixed or indeterminate prison time will remain open for argument. 

Court records show the charges stem from a September incident in which Taplin-Jones was driving east on Interstate 90 when Idaho State Police Trooper Tyler Minkner attempted to stop him for not displaying a license plate or temporary tags. Minkner reported the vehicle swerved across lanes as both occupants moved around inside. 

After pulling the car over, Minkner said he detected a faint odor of marijuana and asked if that was what the occupants had been shuffling. Taplin-Jones said it was, but later admitted there were other drugs and paraphernalia in the vehicle. 

A search uncovered more than 80 grams of methamphetamine scattered on the floorboards and hidden inside a Big Gulp cup. 

Minkner’s report said Taplin-Jones admitted dumping the drugs in the car after seeing the emergency lights. 

Elizabeth Angel, the passenger in the car, was also arrested and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. 

She was released from Shoshone County Jail on Oct. 7 but failed to appear for her Oct. 20 arraignment. A $30,000 bench warrant was issued, and as of Dec. 2, she remains at large. 

Taplin-Jones’ sentencing is scheduled for March 2 at 10:30 a.m. at the Shoshone County Courthouse.