BUTTE, MT – Charles Warren Campbell, 52, of Butte, Montana, is headed to federal prison for seven years after admitting to running a drug operation and illegally possessing firearms. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, includes five years of supervised release following incarceration.
The bust began last August when Butte Silver-Bow Police officers executed an eviction at a local residence. As they moved in, a man bolted from the scene, quickly identified by the evicted tenant as Charles Campbell. A search of the guest room revealed a cache of drugs – five ounces of methamphetamine, heroin – along with a firearm, a digital scale, and two cell phones. The tenant claimed the drugs and the gun were all Campbell’s.
Things escalated weeks later when officers spotted Campbell driving a stolen vehicle. A search of the car turned up a disturbing arsenal: three additional firearms, including a modified shotgun with a pistol grip and, critically, an obliterated serial number. A .25-caliber handgun and a 9mm pistol were also recovered, alongside more methamphetamine, heroin, and a single fentanyl pill. Campbell, already a convicted felon, had no legal right to possess any of it.
During questioning, Campbell brazenly claimed membership in the Aryan Brotherhood in Arizona, stating he’d been flooding the Butte area with large quantities of meth and heroin for the past month. This revelation added a layer of organized crime to the already serious charges. The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Butte Silver-Bow Law Enforcement, and Montana Probation and Parole.
Campbell pleaded guilty in August 2022 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, prohibited person in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and possession of an unregistered firearm. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter led the prosecution.
Federal officials say the case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a broad initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement and local communities. The program prioritizes focused enforcement and community-based prevention strategies. But for Charles Campbell, those strategies came too late to keep him from a lengthy stay behind bars.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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