Missoula, Montana – Two Bozeman men accused of transporting methamphetamine from Las Vegas into Montana have been sentenced to federal prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith announced.
Billy Eugene Dodson, 54, received the longer sentence of the two defendants. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Dodson pleaded guilty in May 2026 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Jamie Demetrius Williams, 38, was sentenced this week to seven years behind bars and will also serve five years of supervised release after leaving prison. Williams pleaded guilty in May 2026 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided over the case.
Investigation began after meth sale
According to allegations detailed in court documents, Dodson and Williams were involved in bringing meth from Las Vegas to Montana during the summer of 2025.
Williams first drew the attention of law enforcement in early June after authorities said he sold methamphetamine to an informant. Several weeks later, investigators received information that Williams and Dodson were preparing to travel to Las Vegas to obtain more meth.
Authorities obtained a warrant and tracked Williams’s vehicle as it traveled from Las Vegas back toward Montana. Law enforcement eventually stopped the pair in Silver Bow County.
A search of the vehicle uncovered a handgun, a small quantity of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, according to the government. Dodson acknowledged that the firearm belonged to him.
Williams also admitted that the pair had traveled to Las Vegas intending to purchase one pound of methamphetamine. However, he told investigators they “ran out of money.”
The investigation did not end with that traffic stop.
On Aug. 10, 2025, law enforcement stopped Dodson once again as he was returning from another trip to Las Vegas. This time, authorities found just under one pound of methamphetamine inside the glove compartment of the vehicle.
According to prosecutors, Dodson admitted that the August trip was not an isolated journey. He told investigators he had traveled to Las Vegas several times during the previous eight months.
Authorities said Dodson would obtain pounds of methamphetamine during those trips and then bring the drugs back to Montana for distribution in Gallatin County.
The two defendants ultimately entered guilty pleas in May 2026 before receiving their respective federal prison sentences.
Dodson will spend 15 years in federal prison and Williams will serve seven years. Both men will remain under federal supervision for five years following their release.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was carried out by the Missouri River Drug Task Force and the FBI.
