Butte meth trafficker sentenced to 10 years in prison

MISSOULA - A Butte woman who admitted distributing methamphetamine after being arrested multiple times and found to be in possession of the drug, large amounts of cash and firearms was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Jeri Angeline Phillips, 36, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute meth.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

"Phillips is responsible for flooding Butte with a staggering amount of meth and routinely possessed firearms while trafficking drugs. As part of our case, she is forfeiting her cash, drugs, and guns. It's appropriate and necessary that her freedom was forfeited, too," U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

The government alleged that between October 2021 and March 2023, officers working with the Drug Enforcement Administration stopped Phillips on three separate occasions and seized a total of approximately $58,000 in cash and distribution quantities of meth. In addition, law enforcement seized a total of five firearms from Phillips' vehicle and her residence. On one of the occasions, law enforcement observed Phillips distribute meth to a customer in Rocker. When law enforcement stopped Phillips' vehicle, they located about 85 grams of meth, approximately $37,000 cash and a handgun in her purse and a digital scale in the trunk. A witness reported Phillips intended to use the cash to purchase approximately 17 pounds of meth in Washington. Law enforcement monitoring Phillips learned that during this period, Phillips had made multiple trips out of state to resupply her drug distribution cache. The government attributed approximately 11.8 kilograms, or nearly 25 pounds and about 94,079 doses, of meth to Phillips.

The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The DEA, Montana Highway Patrol and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.

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