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Shane Edward Johnson Convicted of Meth Trafficking, Billings MT, 2023
A federal jury in Missoula has convicted a Billings man accused of possessing over 50 grams of pure methamphetamine for resale hidden in false bottom cans and illegally possessing ammunition.
Shane Edward Johnson, 54, was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth, and prohibited person in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The jury delivered its verdict on Tuesday after a two-day trial that began on July 10. Johnson faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years to life in prison, a $20 million fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release on the conspiracy conviction.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine Johnson’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for December 6. Johnson was detained pending further proceedings.
Johnson’s convictions are the result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Postal Service, FBI, Billings Police Department, and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, which began in April 2020 and continued until October 2021. During that time, law enforcement intercepted a package shipped through the U.S. Postal Service from California to Laurel, which contained two pounds of meth hidden inside four plastic candles.
Johnson, who has a prior federal drug conviction, was prohibited from possessing ammunition. Agents located a backpack belonging to Johnson that contained baggies of meth, a digital scale, approximately $1,000, and two loaded handgun magazines.
U.S. Attorney Laslovich praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie R. Patten and Zeno B. Baucus, who prosecuted the case, as well as the investigators from the U.S. Postal Service, FBI, Billings Police Department, and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office.
Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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