BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in the community after law enforcement found more than three pounds of the drug and firearms at his residence was sentenced today to nine years and nine months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Anthony Ray Morgan, 32, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth in October 2021.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in 2019, law enforcement became aware of Morgan’s drug dealing and found a handgun and 15 grams of meth in a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Morgan. In another traffic stop in September 2021 of a vehicle driven by Morgan, investigators found an ounce of meth, $950 in U.S. currency and a firearm on his person. Investigators executed a search warrant on the vehicle and found nearly one pound of meth and fentanyl pills. Law enforcement served a search warrant on Morgan’s residence and found a handgun that had a laser sight and loaded magazine, U.S. currency concealed in a soft body armor carrier, a rifle and approximately 3.75 pounds of meth, which is the equivalent of about 13,616 doses, in several plastic bags.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. 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.
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