John Meade Ogburn, Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking, Montana 2024

Great Falls Man Sentenced to 13 Years and 8 Months in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

A federal judge has sentenced John Meade Ogburn, 45, to 13 years and 8 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl in Great Falls, Montana. The sentence was handed down in a federal courthouse in Great Falls on February 2024.

Ogburn pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case.

U.S. Attorney Laslovich stated that repeat federal felons, especially drug traffickers, will be pursued aggressively. Ogburn had previously served federal time for a drug offense and was on supervised release when he resumed his criminal lifestyle and trafficked large quantities of fentanyl pills and methamphetamine in Montana.

The investigation into Ogburn’s activities began in the fall of 2023 when drug task force officers learned that he was a source of supply for methamphetamine and fentanyl. In November 2023, law enforcement intercepted a package containing approximately 1,757 fentanyl pills, which was found to be arranged by Ogburn. A traffic stop in early February 2024 revealed that Ogburn was driving one of the vehicles, while his girlfriend was driving another. A search of the vehicles yielded approximately two pounds of methamphetamine wired under the vehicle driven by Ogburn’s girlfriend.

Ogburn admitted to placing the methamphetamine under the vehicle in a recorded jail call. He claimed that his girlfriend did not know it was there. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, with assistance from the Russell Country Drug Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Great Falls Police Department, and Montana Highway Patrol.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities. The program seeks to foster trust and legitimacy in communities, support community-based organizations, set focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measure results.

The investigation and prosecution of Ogburn’s case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to holding repeat drug dealers accountable for their actions.

The exact criminal charges against Ogburn were conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

The defendant’s full name is John Meade Ogburn, and he is a resident of Great Falls, Montana.

The sentence of 13 years and 8 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, serves as a stiff penalty for Ogburn’s crimes.

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