Billings, Montana – A Billings man who attempted to purchase a large shipment of methamphetamine during a law enforcement sting operation has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith, 48-year-old Derrick Chandler Lucero received a sentence of 135 months behind bars after admitting his role in an attempted methamphetamine transaction involving 35 pounds of the drug.
Lucero previously pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In addition to the prison term, he was ordered to serve five years of supervised release after completing his sentence.
The case was handled by U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer.
Investigation began hundreds of miles away
Federal court documents show that the investigation did not start in Montana. Instead, it began on July 22, 2025, when officers in Omaha, Nebraska, working alongside agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, intercepted a suspected drug courier at a bus station.
During questioning, the courier revealed that he was traveling from California to Montana. Authorities later learned he was carrying approximately 35 pounds of methamphetamine inside his luggage.
After being confronted by investigators, the courier agreed to cooperate with law enforcement. He offered to assist agents in identifying and capturing the individual who was supposed to receive the drugs in Montana.
Investigators then accompanied the courier to Billings while maintaining control of the methamphetamine shipment. Before the planned delivery took place, the drugs were tested to confirm they were genuine.
Agents later removed most of the methamphetamine from the shipment. According to court records, 34 of the 35 packages were replaced with white ice melt that had been wrapped to look identical to the original bundles.
The move allowed investigators to safely continue the operation while preserving evidence and reducing the risk posed by the large quantity of drugs.
Truck stop meeting led to arrest
During the early hours of July 23, 2025, authorities and the cooperating courier worked together to arrange the delivery.
The courier contacted individuals described as handlers based in Mexico and received instructions about how to proceed. Those individuals directed him to communicate with the buyer and collect $12,500 during the transaction.
At approximately 12:02 a.m., the buyer contacted the courier and arranged a meeting at the TA Truck Stop in Laurel, Montana.
When the courier requested a description of the vehicle he should look for, Lucero replied, “I’m in a green and tan Ford Expedition.”
Law enforcement officers immediately began surveillance at the truck stop and eventually located the vehicle matching that description.
The courier then approached the Expedition carrying a suitcase containing the remaining methamphetamine package along with the substitute bundles.
According to prosecutors, the courier opened the rear passenger-side door and placed the suitcase inside the vehicle.
Lucero allegedly responded by throwing a stack of $100 bills onto the back seat for the courier. After taking the money, the courier shut the vehicle door and gave a thumbs-up signal to waiting law enforcement teams, indicating that the transaction had been completed.
Moments later, agents moved in and arrested Lucero.
Part of larger federal enforcement effort
Federal authorities said the case was connected to a courier who had ties to a Mexican drug trafficking organization. Prosecutors alleged that Lucero intended to purchase the entire 35-pound shipment.
The investigation formed part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established under Executive Order 14159, known as Protecting the American People Against Invasion.
The task force brings together numerous federal agencies and law enforcement partners with a mission of targeting criminal cartels, transnational criminal organizations, foreign gangs, and human trafficking networks operating both inside and outside the United States.
Officials said the initiative focuses on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting a wide range of crimes connected to organized criminal groups. The task force also places special emphasis on crimes involving children and on removing violent criminal offenders from the country when applicable.
In Montana, the Homeland Security Task Force includes agents and officers from several federal agencies and drug task forces across the state.
The case against Lucero was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force as part of the Homeland Security Task Force.
The sentence closes a case that began with a bus station encounter in Nebraska and ended with a controlled delivery at a Montana truck stop, where investigators say Lucero attempted to take possession of a suitcase containing what he believed was 35 pounds of methamphetamine.
