Daniel Jiminez-Chavez, Meth Trafficking, Montana 2024

BILLINGS, MONTANA - A Lodge Grass man suspected of participating in a large-scale drug conspiracy based on the Crow Indian Reservation has admitted to a methamphetamine trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

Daniel Jiminez-Chavez, aka Raton, 40, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth, a charge that carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.

Jiminez-Chavez faces a potentially lengthy prison sentence in connection with a large-scale narcotics trafficking investigation centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation.

According to court documents, federal law enforcement, in a collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, conducted an investigation into a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations from about January 2022 through March 2023.

Jiminez-Chavez is one of the individuals associated with the investigation, which alleged that he began staying at a house near Spear Siding, known as the Bloodman residence, and distributed meth to others and was in contact with individuals in the conspiracy.

The U.S. Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case, which was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence.

Jiminez-Chavez was detained pending further proceedings and is set to be sentenced on May 1 by U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters, who will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/lodge-grass-man-admits-meth-trafficking-charge-large-scale-drug-conspiracy-based-crow