A traffic violation in the Flathead Valley in March led to the arrest of a pair of suspected drug dealers and the seizure of more than 47 grams of methamphetamine, prosecutors say.  

Charles John Arthur Cislo, 36, faces felony counts of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia in Flathead County District Court following his March 21 arrest. Held in the county jail with bail set at $60,000, Cislo is scheduled to appear before Judge Dan Wilson on June 12 for his arraignment. 

Tanita Jo Anderson, 33, faces felony charges of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to court records. Currently held on $135,000 bail, Anderson is expected to appear before Judge Danni Coffman on June 5 for arraignment.   

Flathead County Sheriff's Office deputies pulled over Anderson’s vehicle after it allegedly stayed in the left-hand lane of U.S. 2 for four-and-a-half miles as it headed south from the intersection with Montana 40 just after 1 a.m. During the subsequent traffic stop, the deputy identified the driver as Anderson and the passenger as Cislo, court documents said.  

Anderson allegedly was driving with a suspended license, and Cislo had a warrant out for his arrest. As he placed Cislo under arrest, the deputy received permission from Anderson to search the vehicle, court documents said. 

Investigators later turned up a black case containing a bag filled with large rocks of a white crystalline substance that authorities suspected was methamphetamine, court documents. The black case, which also allegedly contained a cache of small plastic bags, was found on the floor where Cislo was sitting at the time of the traffic stop.  

Other items found during the search included a plastic bottle with two pipes extending outward, a makeup mirror with white powder on it, and a gray zipper bag with additional drug paraphernalia, court documents said.  

During a subsequent interview with deputies, Anderson allegedly admitted knowing that the black case contained methamphetamine and that it belonged to Cislo. The white powder on the mirror was methamphetamine as well, she said, and she told investigators that the pair used it to take the drug earlier the night of the stop, according to court documents.  

She indicated that a search of the gray zipper bag would uncover the psychedelic drug dimethyltryptamine, better known as DMT, according to court documents.  

As part of the investigation, deputies contacted the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force. Both Anderson and Cislo were known to the group and were suspected of dealing drugs, particularly methamphetamine and fentanyl, court documents said.  

After reviewing the deputies' findings, agents with the task force concluded that the methamphetamine in the vehicle was intended for sale rather than personal use, according to court documents. 

Cislo is facing a felony drug possession charge in a separate ongoing case and has a prior drug possession conviction from a case that was brought against him in 2017. 

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].