⏱ 2 min read
A 51-year-old Billings cab driver, Sammy Joe Nava, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine while working for Yellow Cab. Between June 13 and June 29, 2022, Nava and his partner, David Lee Owen, sold meth to an informant in four undercover buys, with the final purchase being a pound of meth. The investigation started with a tip from a confidential informant, who claimed that Yellow Cab employees known as ‘Sam’ and ‘Dave’ were selling meth around Billings.
The informant’s tips led law enforcement to set up the four buys, with the informant purchasing increasing amounts of meth each time. The buys started with 27.8 grams of meth, then 28.5 grams, followed by 111.9 grams, and finally a pound, roughly 445 grams. After the final buy, agents arrested Owen at the Yellow Cab offices and later arrested Nava.
Nava pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possession with intent to distribute, and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided over the case, which was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and investigated by the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and the DEA.
The sentence of 42 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, reflects the seriousness of Nava’s crimes. The case highlights the ongoing issue of meth trafficking in Montana and the importance of law enforcement efforts to combat the problem.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: Montana
- Location: MT
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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