MISSOULA — A Helena man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in the Bozeman community was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Asa Sembe Goudiaby, 34, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in March 2021, investigators with the Missouri River Drug Task Force obtained meth from Goudiaby and co-defendant, Tajiyah Spano, in several controlled purchases in Bozeman. Officers executed a search warrant on a bedroom rented by Goudiaby and located about 2.3 pounds of meth along with a pistol in a safe in the room. One pound of meth is the equivalent of about 3,624 doses. Goudiaby told officers his most recent purchase was for three pounds of meth and that he was expected to receive five pounds of meth in the next couple of days. Spano was sentenced to 37 months in prison for conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Clark prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Missouri River Drug Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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