MISSOULA — A Bozeman man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine was sentenced Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, to eight years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and was ordered to forfeit $17,644, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Jared Robert Williams, 42, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to possession with intent to distribute meth.
In court documents filed by the government, the Missouri River Drug Task Force began investigating Williams and others for suspected distribution of large quantities of meth. On Nov. 6, 2020, a Montana Highway Patrol trooper stopped Williams, searched his vehicle, and found meth, drug paraphernalia, $17,644 in U.S. currency and two cellular phones. About $10,000 of the cash was stacked in a brick fashion and tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. In a search of the cell phones, investigators found photographs and messages consistent with drug trafficking. One witness told investigators that in a two-month period, he received about 3.75 pounds, which is approximately 13,600 doses, of meth from Williams for resale. In an interview of Williams, he admitted he sold meth. He denied the money he possessed was from drug dealing and told detectives he didn’t believe in banks. However, after Williams was booked into jail, he called his girlfriend and told her how much money was in the bank account.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Clark prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Missouri River Drug Task Force and the Montana Highway Patrol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, 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.
