Missoula, Montana – A Missouri woman has admitted to a federal drug charge for her role in a scheme that illegally obtained oxycodone from pharmacies across Montana, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith.
Whit’lee Laurie Amari Miller, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. Her guilty plea marks another development in a larger investigation into a Chicago-based drug operation that authorities say targeted pharmacies throughout Montana using fraudulent prescriptions.
Miller now faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, a $1 million fine, at least three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Although she has admitted to the charge, her final sentence has not yet been decided.
Authorities say group traveled to Montana to carry out the scheme
The change of plea hearing was held before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto. A final sentence will later be imposed by U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, who will review the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other legal factors before making a decision.
Court records state that Miller remains out of custody under court-ordered conditions while awaiting sentencing. Her sentencing hearing has been scheduled for November 12, 2026.
According to prosecutors, Miller was part of a group that traveled by air from outside Montana to carry out the illegal operation. Investigators alleged that members of the organization visited pharmacies in different parts of the state and presented falsified prescriptions to obtain oxycodone and other controlled substances.
After the drugs were collected, authorities said Miller and other participants passed the oxycodone to Brandon Lavelle and Winfrey Jaylan Javier Wash, who then distributed the pills.
Prosecutors further alleged that Lavelle and Wash played leadership roles within the operation. They reportedly paid for travel and other expenses while also directing members of the group by telling them which pharmacies to visit and when to enter each location.
Earlier this month, Winfrey Jaylan Javier Wash and Brandon Lavelle each pleaded guilty to federal drug charges connected to the same investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The investigation was carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration, whose work uncovered the alleged multi-state operation that targeted Montana pharmacies through the use of fake prescriptions to obtain controlled substances.
