Joseph John Simpson, Meth Trafficking, Montana 2023

A Lame Deer man who admitted to distributing methamphetamine on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Joseph John Simpson, 49, pleaded guilty in September 2023 to possession with intent to distribute meth.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided over the case. Simpson was found to be a prolific and dangerous drug dealer who trafficked nearly 10 pounds of meth on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. He was considered the best customer of an extensive drug conspiracy based on the Crow Reservation with ties to Washington traffickers and a cartel in Mexico.

“Armed with multiple firearms, including a submachine gun, Simpson was a dangerous drug dealer who trafficked nearly 10 pounds of meth on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation,” said U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich. “He was considered the best customer of an extensive drug conspiracy based on the Crow Reservation with ties to Washington traffickers and a cartel in Mexico.”

The government alleged that from May 2022 to July 2023, law enforcement obtained information from multiple sources that Simpson was distributing meth on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation and elsewhere. Simpson is one of approximately two dozen defendants related to a large-scale, multiple-state narcotics trafficking organization centered on multiple properties on the Crow reservation, including one referred to as Spear Siding.

Simpson was responsible for the distribution of almost 10 pounds of meth, which is equivalent to 36,240 doses. The government alleged that Simpson was integral to the operation, partially because he made sure his sources got paid. On July 13, 2023, a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer in Lame Deer observed a pickup truck that appeared to be stolen and was driven by Simpson.

Simpson was arrested after a high-speed pursuit and found in possession of two pounds of meth, $9,000 in cash, and four firearms, including an Uzi submachine gun. Simpson told law enforcement that the $9,000 was drug proceeds. Assistant U.S. Attorneys prosecuted the case, while the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration, and FBI conducted the investigation.

This case is 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. The case is also part of a broader effort to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The Northern Cheyenne and Crow Nations can rest easier knowing that Simpson will spend the next 20 years in federal prison. Simpson was sentenced to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.