Jury finds two Missoula men guilty of trafficking meth as part of multistate drug ring

MISSOULA - Two Missoula men who were accused of trafficking methamphetamine as part of a multistate drug ring were found guilty by a federal jury today, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.

Following a four-day trial, Arthur Ray Peoples, 69, and Joseph Frederick Ployhar, 45, were found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine. The two men each face 15 years to life of prison, a $20 million fine and at least 10 years of supervised release. Their mandatory minimum sentences are increased because each has a prior conviction for a serious drug felony.

U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Peoples and Ployhar were detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents and at trial that an investigation of a multistate drug ring identified Peoples as one of multiple meth dealers in Montana. Law enforcement used a confidential informant who bought roughly 27 grams of meth from Peoples on Jan. 28, 2025. Following the buy, investigators put Peoples under surveillance and then pulled him over when they suspected a drug deal was about to happen. In his vehicle, officers found several small baggies containing meth. From there, they searched his motel room and found more meth, digital scales, baggies, and ledgers.

Ployhar was similarly identified through the course of the drug ring investigation. He was pulled over returning from Washington with another defendant, Jamie Maki. Investigators searched the vehicle and found roughly two and a half pounds of meth. Maki pleaded guilty earlier this year to drug trafficking charges and will be sentenced on Feb. 4, 2027.

The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The Missoula Drug 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.