Ronald Andrew Smith, Meth Trafficking, Montana 2024

MISSOULA — A federal jury on Thursday convicted two Montana residents and a California man of drug trafficking crimes for bringing pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills to the Butte and Helena communities for distribution

U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced Thursday the convictions of Juan Felipe Vidrio Fuentes, 36, of Anaheim, California; James Andrew Stringari, 51, of Whitehall; and Janet Dean White, 57, of Butte, on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

The defendants face a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided, setting sentencing for Sept. 3 for all three defendants, who remained detained pending further proceedings.

“These three defendants are the last of eight Montanans and Californians indicted and now convicted for bringing at least 13 pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills to the Butte and Helena areas. The harm and misery they inflicted on people so they could make money cannot be overstated,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “Their convictions show that our office and our law enforcement partners are relentless in rooting out and ridding these drug trafficking rings from our cities and towns.”

The jury’s verdict came after a four-day trial that began on April 22, during which the government presented evidence of the defendants’ alleged roles in the conspiracy. According to court documents, Fuentes, Stringari, White and five other co-defendants conspired to traffic meth and fentanyl from June 2022 until about January 2023 in Butte and Helena.

Law enforcement intercepted several packages containing fentanyl pills, including one in October 2022 with 9,000 pills and another in January 2023 with 3,000 pills. Investigators also found approximately six pounds of meth, 208 grams of fentanyl, $15,000 cash and seven firearms in the Butte residence, and approximately seven pounds of meth and 68 grams of fentanyl in the Helena residence.

The convictions mark the culmination of an investigation involving 11 law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case, which also involved the support staff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“I am grateful to Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney, our support staff, and the 11 law enforcement agencies who investigated and prosecuted this case,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “Their dedication and hard work have made our communities safer and more secure.”

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