Missoula man sentenced to 4 years in prison for drug trafficking

MISSOULA - A Missoula man who was trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine was sentenced today to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Scott Twito said.

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

Osiel Cruz Peña, 28, pleaded guilty in July 2026 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement had learned Peña was dealing illicit drugs in Montana. Investigators used a source to set up a buy with Peña in November 2025 and arrested him when he arrived to make the sale. Peña admitted to investigators he was a dealer; they found him with roughly a pound of cocaine and a pound of meth.

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. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, 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.