⏱ 2 min read
Chad Allen Bachmann, a 46-year-old Red Lodge man, was sentenced to 18 years and eight months in prison for trafficking large amounts of meth into Montana and unlawfully possessing a handgun. Bachmann pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The crimes occurred in early 2025, when Bachmann smuggled roughly 20 pounds of methamphetamine into Montana from the Pacific Northwest.
The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force received a tip about Bachmann’s involvement in meth trafficking and conducted surveillance, leading to a search of his storage unit on May 29, 2025. Agents found Bachmann inside, along with 14 pounds of meth, $10,520 in cash, drug paraphernalia, and a drug ledger. A .45 pistol was also found in Bachmann’s truck, which he was prohibited from possessing due to a prior felony conviction.
Further investigation revealed that Bachmann was continuing to sell meth and planning to leave the state to renew his supply. Law enforcement tracked his truck to Spokane, Washington, and back into Montana, where they found an additional 6 pounds of meth. Bachmann acknowledged trafficking ‘large amounts’ of meth from Washington, Oregon, and California into Montana, and admitted to taking multiple trips to meet with his suppliers.
Bachmann’s sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer, with both counts running concurrently. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and other law enforcement agencies.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: Montana
- Location: MT
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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