Heroin, meth dealer sentenced to 15 years in prison for trafficking, firearms crimes in Billings

BILLINGS—A Colorado man convicted of trafficking heroin and methamphetamine in the community and of possessing a firearm was sentenced today to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Scott Allen Wortman, 48, of Englewood, CO, pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and to two counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. A jury convicted Wortman of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

In court documents filed in the case, the prosecution said the evidence showed that federal agents identified Wortman in 2016 as a Billings area heroin distributor who traveled to Denver to get heroin and was supplying several other local dealers. In early 2018, law enforcement used a confidential informant to make two controlled buys of heroin from Wortman. Agents executed a search warrant at Wortman’s residence and found a small amount of heroin, two firearms, $4,000 in cash, surveillance equipment and drug paraphernalia. In an interview with agents, Wortman said he made regular trips to Denver to get heroin and that he had distributed more than a kilo of the drug. A kilo is 2.2 pounds. When Wortman was arrested, he had a .38-caliber pistol in his pocket, and agents found about 10 ounces of meth in his vehicle.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Rubich and Julie Patten prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI Task Force.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws, and Project Safe Neighborhoods, the USDOJ’s initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 through 2018. Through these initiatives, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.