Billings man charged with drug trafficking crime after officers seize eight pounds of meth

BILLINGS—A Billings man suspected of trafficking methamphetamine for distribution in the community appeared on charges today after law enforcement officers intercepted a package containing about eight pounds of the drug that was sent through the U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Trevion Maurice Jones, 44, had an initial appearance on a criminal complaint charging him with possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Jones faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided and ordered Jones detained pending further proceedings.

The charging document is merely an accusation, and Jones is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Court documents filed in the case said drug enforcement officers learned that Jones was a meth supplier and had sources in California and Las Vegas. Jones received some meth through the mail. On April 14, a U.S. Postal inspector located a priority express parcel addressed to Jones’ residence and sent from a California address. The package weighed 24 pounds. A K-9 alerted to the package, which officers opened after getting a search warrant. Inside the parcel was a safe, which contained five vacuum sealed packages that weighed about eight pounds and tested positive for meth. Eight pounds of meth is the equivalent of about 28,992 doses.

Officers replaced some of the meth in the safe, obtained a search warrant for Jones’ residence and made a controlled delivery. The postal inspector knocked on the door, delivered the package to Jones, who answered, and left. Law enforcement officers then served the search warrant at the residence and arrested Jones without incident.

The Drug Enforcement Agency, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and U.S. Postal Service investigated the case.

Pacer case reference. MJ-20-35.

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