Woman on Probation Charged With Intent to Sell Meth in Missoula

On June 5, 2022, at around 11:44 p.m., a Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Corporal observed a Subaru pulling out of the Old Hellgate Trading Post gas pumps without any headlights on. The corporal activated his emergency lights and the vehicle pulled over. He made contact with the driver, 26-year-old Zoe Tate, and informed her why he had stopped her.

Zoe appeared nervous, fidgety, and questioned her headlights working but admitted that it was very dim. There was one other passenger in the car. Both individuals came back to be on felony probation for drugs and suspended licenses. The corporal read to Zoe the consent to search card and she signed the card agreeing to allow him to search her car.

The vehicle Zoe was driving was not registered to her and had fictitious plates on the car. She said she had purchased it months ago and needed to get it registered. The corporal found a baggy of suspected methamphetamine next to her stereo display that was clearly visible from where Zoe was sitting in the driver’s seat.

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The corporal called Zoe back over to her car and advised her of her Miranda rights. Court documents indicate Zoe became panic stricken and became emotional and a bit dramatic asking if she was going to jail. The corporal asked Zoe about the suspected meth. Zoe denied it at first but with a few more questions admitted that she had just bought it tonight for a friend. Zoe said she paid $250.00 for the product. When asked about providing it for a friend, Zoe then changed her story and said she bought it for personal use. Zoe was placed under arrest.

During a search incident to arrest the corporal took all of the items out of Zoe's pockets. There was a black digital scale in her back pocket and a small purse in her hoody with about ten unused small baggies commonly used for packaging methamphetamine into gram or half gram quantities.

The corporal later weighed the methamphetamine on both a scale from the Sheriff’s office, and the scale from Zoe's pocket. It was a total package weight of 11.4 grams. The product did test presumptive positive for methamphetamine.

Zoe is currently being charged with felony criminal possession with intent to distribute and driving with a suspended license.

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

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