Manhattan meth trafficker sentenced to seven years in prison

MISSOULA  — A Manhattan man with felony convictions was sentenced today to  seven years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking meth and illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Jamey Wayne Charon, Jr, 26, pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute meth and to prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

The government alleged in court documents that in March 2022, the Missouri River Drug Task Force was investigating Charon for distributing meth in Bozeman and conducted controlled purchases of meth from him on two occasions. Law enforcement searched Charon’s vehicle after he was arrested for another offense and found meth packaged in jeweler bags. Charon admitted to selling meth twice a week since February 2022. In addition, law enforcement found a .40-caliber pistol with 12 bullets in his bedroom in Bozeman. Charon was on probation at the time for felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Clark prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force, FBI, Bozeman Police Department and Park County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

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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