Juan Jose Romero, Meth Trafficking, Montana 2023

A Butte man identified as a major drug supplier in an investigation has been sentenced to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in the community, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Juan Jose Romero, 39, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth, in December 2023.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

According to court documents, the government alleges that Romero was identified as a major drug supplier in Butte, and that a source told law enforcement about having purchased heroin from Romero while Romero was in the Butte Pre-Release Center.

Agents contacted Romero at his apartment after they learned he had absconded from felony supervision. In a search of his residence, agents located a loaded .22 magazine, two cell phones and drug paraphernalia.

In December 2022, law enforcement in Butte conducted a traffic stop on Romero and located 29 grams of meth, two firearms, drug paraphernalia and 14 suspected fentanyl pills in the vehicle. Romero admitted he was selling meth.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Clark prosecuted the case. The Southwest Montana Drug Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the 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, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana is committed to reducing violent crime and gun violence in the community through this program.

This story is part of an ongoing effort by Grimy Times to report on crime and justice in Montana.

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