BILLINGS — A Montana man and woman convicted of trafficking multiple drugs, including methamphetamine and more than 9,000 fentanyl pills, were each sentenced to prison terms this week, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Eric Charles Swan, 35, of Wolf Point, was sentenced today to eight years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Swan pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Co-defendant Elizabeth Ardell Grace Ronshaugen, 30, of Great Falls, was sentenced on June 29 to four years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Ronshaugen pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that law enforcement began investigating Swan and Ronshaugen in 2021 after receiving information of possible drug trafficking. In November, agents observed that Swan was traveling to Denver and returning to Montana. Law enforcement pulled over Swan and Ronshaugen near Buffalo, Wyoming, and Swan was found to have several fentanyl pills in the pocket of his clothing. Ronshaugen was found to have several fentanyl pills hidden in her clothing and approximately 52 additional fentanyl pills were located in a plastic zip lock bag on her person. Wyoming law enforcement searched the vehicle and found approximately 9,616 fentanyl pills, a little more than one pound of heroin, 103 grams of meth, a gram of cocaine, 14 Dialudid pills and $9,775 in U.S. currency.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas K. Godfrey prosecuted the case, which was investigated by 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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