BILLINGS-Billings resident Michael James Chapman was sentenced yesterday to 132 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan P. Watters presided over Chapman’s sentencing.
In March 2016, drug-task-force agents in Billings received information that Chapman, 47, was involved in the local distribution of methamphetamine. On April 6, 2016, agents located Chapman at a hotel in Billings and began surveilling him. During their surveillance, they observed Chapman conduct a hand-to-hand drug transaction. Officers stopped Chapman’s vehicle a short time later and he agreed to speak with agents about methamphetamine trafficking. His statements led to the seizure of approximately 2.75 pounds of methamphetamine from various locations in and around Billings. Historically, Chapman admitted to obtaining approximately six pounds of methamphetamine from sources in Utah for redistribution in the Billings community.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sullivan and investigated by the FBI Transnational Organized Crime Western Task Force and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to identify those responsible for significant violent crime in Montana. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a recently reinvigorated Department of Justice program that has proven to be successful in reducing violent crime. Today’s sentencing is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
