Missoula Deputies Catch Man With 7.8 Grams of Meth

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On February 7, 2023, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were dispatched to remove a person who was sleeping in a vehicle on private property. Deputies arrived on the scene and observed 61-year-old Tracy Pray sleeping with a tan bag in his lap.

While approaching the vehicle, deputies observed a small torch and a white powder residue on Pray’s coat. There was also white powder residue on the outside of the driver's window.  

Deputies knocked on the window and announced their presence. Pray jumped up and was startled. When this happened, a deputy observed a clear glass pipe fall out of Pray’s hands and into his lap. Deputies had Pray get out of the car and Pray was read his Miranda rights.  

When asked about the pipe, Pray admitted he used it earlier that night to smoke methamphetamine. Pray then went on to admit that there was more methamphetamine in the vehicle. Pray was arrested and his vehicle was seized pending the application of a search warrant.  

While en route to the jail, court documents indicate Pray told a deputy that he had $35,000 dollars in the vehicle but stated the money did not come from selling drugs, but rather from selling his house in August and due to his mother passing.  

A MCSO Detective was assigned to the case for follow-up. He applied for and was granted a search warrant by the Honorable Leslie Halligan. The detective found roughly $27,600 in various denominations of cash and 7.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine. The suspected methamphetamine was NIK tested resulting in a presumptive positive result for methamphetamine. 

Pray is currently being charged with felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. 

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