BILLINGS, MONTANA —A Worden couple admitted methamphetamine trafficking charges after drug task force investigators found 10 pounds of meth in their vehicle, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said.
Lisa Marie Fish, 39, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth. Fish’s husband, Bo Bryan Fish, 40, pleaded guilty on Jan. 27 to possession with intent to distribute meth. Each faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. Lisa Fish was released pending further proceedings. A sentencing date was set for June 16.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided at the hearing for Bo Fish. Bo Fish was detained pending further proceedings. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The prosecution said in court documents filed in the case that between January and March 2020, the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Task Force began investigating Bo and Lisa Fish for involvement in drug trafficking.
Cooperating witnesses told investigators that both defendants were involved in meth trafficking and that Bo Fish took trips to Colorado to acquire bulk quantities of meth, ranging from five to 20 pounds per trip.
The investigation led to a traffic stop in which a truck occupied by both defendants was pulled over near Worden. Lisa Fish refused to make a statement. Bo Fish told investigators there were about 10 pounds of meth in the back seat of the truck and admitted to acquiring the 10 pounds that day in Wyoming. He said he had been acquiring bulk meth from the source for about eight months. Investigators served a search warrant on the truck and the couple’s property and seized 10 pounds of meth from the vehicle and about seven ounces of meth from the property. Ten pounds of meth is the equivalent of about 36,240 doses.
While Lisa Fish did not handle the meth, she furthered the conspiracy by setting up drug deals by telephone and text message so Bo Fish could later deliver meth these people, travelling with Bo Fish to pickup meth from out of state and depositing proceeds from meth sales into bank accounts so that she and Bo Fish could access the funds.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and FBI Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 48% from 2013 to 2019. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.