Missoula Deputy Busts Meth Dealer With Illegal Firearms

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On November 16, 2024, a Missoula County Sheriff's Office Deputy and other officers were dispatched to a hotel at the Wye for some suspicious activity. The deputy knocked on the door of a room and 54-year-old Ross Sutton answered. He agreed to speak with the deputy and stepped out into the hallway. 

A female, who was also in the room, said there were three firearms inside, and Sutton already had federal gun charges against him. She pointed out a pistol lying on the bed in plain view. For the safety of everyone involved, the deputy unloaded the weapon and conducted a records check.  

The female also mentioned that there were two more firearms in a backpack. She opened the backpack to show the deputy the two firearms inside. Later, she told the deputy that Sutton sells methamphetamine. She also stated Sutton had a large amount of methamphetamine in his black bag along with “stacks of cash.” She said all the cash was from drug sales and that she witnessed Sutton sell drugs at the hotel and the Poverello Center. 

"Might as well lock me up."

The deputy informed Sutton that he was aware of the guns in the room. Sutton responded by saying something like, "Might as well lock me up." He explained that he had federal gun charges and was not allowed to possess a firearm. Sutton mentioned that one of the guns in the backpack had its serial number scratched off. He said he bought this gun from someone at the Poverello Center.  

The deputy asked Sutton if he could look inside the backpack and retrieve the guns, to which he consented. The deputy collected the two pistols from the backpack and placed Sutton under arrest for possessing a gun with an altered serial number.  

Sutton requested his shoes, phone, and wallet from the room. He mentioned that his wallet was in a black bag beside the bed and told an officer that he could retrieve it. When the officer checked the bag, he found a wallet containing a large amount of cash and several small bags commonly used to package illegal substances.  

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"There is a bag of dope in there."

Given the potential for other crimes, they immediately ceased gathering items. Sutton commented something to the effect of, “You’re going to search that bag, right? There is going to be something else in there.” When the deputy asked him what he meant, he stated something to the effect of, “There is a bag of dope in there.”  

The deputy assisted a detective with an authorized search warrant. During the search, 23.4 grams of methamphetamine, prescription narcotics, three guns, $3,004 cash, and several other items were seized from the room. 

Sutton is currently being charged with felony criminal possession with intent to distribute and obscuring the identity of a machine. His bond was set at $75,000. 

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.