Man gets three years deferred for drugs

An Anaconda man was given a three-year deferred imposition of sentence for drug possession and six months to ADLC Detention, with all of that time suspended, for a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Keith Anderson, who appeared before 3rd Judicial District Court Judge Jeffrey Dahood on Wednesday, Feb. 25 for sentencing, pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine and syringes.

Pursuant to a plea agreement with the State of Montana, the state did not seek imposition of a fine.

The maximum penalty for a conviction of drug possession is five years in a state prison and a $5,000 fine, and the maximum penalty for a charge of possessing drug paraphernalia is $500 and six months in county jail.

According to the affidavit filed by the State of Montana in support of the charges, on Aug. 31, 2025, ADLC police conducted a traffic stop on the defendant at a parking lot on the east side of Anaconda after they found the license plates on his car to be reported stolen.

Officers told the defendant they were not going to issue any citations and instructed him that he was free to leave and needed to get the vehicle appropriately registered, according to the affidavit.

As officers were concluding the traffic stop and getting back into their vehicles, the defendant yelled something to Sgt. Matt Ives. that he was unable to hear from inside his patrol vehicle, the affidavit states.

Sgt. Ives exited his patrol vehicle and approached the defendant at the open driver’s side door of the Chevy. While speaking to the defendant, Sgt. Ives observed a small Ziploc baggie in the driver side door pocket, according to the affidavit. After Sgt. Ives asked the defendant what was in the baggie, the defendant stated it was nothing, according to the affidavit.

Sgt. Ives again asked the defendant what was in the baggie and the defendant stated it was “dope,” and when the police officer asked for clarification, the defendant stated it was methamphetamine, the affidavit states.

“Sgt. Ives deployed K9 Leo to conduct an open-air sniff of the vehicle and K9 Leo alerted at the driver’s side door, “ the affidavit states. “Officers secured Mr. Anderson in a patrol vehicle and transported him to the Detention Center while they applied for a search warrant for the vehicle. Officers applied for and were granted a search warrant for the vehicle.”

Upon searching the vehicle, officers located a Ziploc baggie containing a crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine and two red Sharps containers full of used syringes.