Joe Roy Michael, Meth Trafficking, Montana 2022

Billings Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking

BILLINGS—Joe Roy Michael, 38, of Huntley, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in a large methamphetamine conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Michael pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth.

The case began in June 2018 when the Montana Highway Patrol made a traffic stop on Michael's rental vehicle. Michael's statements conflicted with statements by his passenger and co-defendant, Joshua Clause. The trooper had a K9 dog sniff around the vehicle and the dog alerted to the presence of drugs. A search warrant was executed on the vehicle, and officers found 104 grams of heroin.

Investigators learned from multiple sources that Michael and Clause were selling large amounts of meth in Billings. One source admitted to stealing a pound of meth from Michael. Law enforcement arrested Michael in September 2018 in Townsend, and a search of his vehicle led to the seizure of meth and a pistol.

Clause told law enforcement that he and Michael had imported several hundred pounds of meth from California to Billings for distribution in 2018. A pound of meth is the equivalent of about 3,624 doses. Clause was sentenced in April to 15 years in prison for his conviction in the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Billings Police Department.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the government's violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

Defendant Information:
Defendant: Joe Roy Michael
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth
City and State: Billings, Montana
Sentencing Date: [No date mentioned in the source, but the case was sentenced in 2022]
Sentence: 12 years in prison and 5 years of supervised release

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/billings-meth-trafficker-sentenced-12-years-prison