⏱ 2 min read
Joshua Jacob Best, a 40-year-old Billings man, has pleaded guilty to trafficking significant amounts of methamphetamine in Montana. Best’s operation was part of a larger smuggling ring that spanned multiple states, including Wyoming, South Dakota, California, and Montana. The ring, which originated in Mexico, was uncovered in June 2023 after an informant tipped off Billings police.
Over the course of several months, investigators learned that Best was helping to move cash and drugs between Mexico and Billings. In October 2023, Best arranged to deliver $67,000 to an undercover agent in a Walmart parking lot, and in January 2024, a courier was pulled over with 57 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 1 kilogram of cocaine, and approximately 2 pounds of marijuana.
Best’s luck ran out in March 2024 when he crashed his black Chevy Camaro on Monad Road. As he fled the scene, he dropped two heat-sealed bags, which were later found to contain methamphetamine. A search warrant was served on the Camaro, and officers found a vacuum-sealed bag containing 496.4 grams of meth.
Best faces 15 years to life in prison, a $20,000,000 fine, at least 10 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. His sentencing is set for October 1, 2026. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: Montana
- Location: MT
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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