Authorities sentenced a California man convicted in a methamphetamine distribution ring to 121 months of jail time and five years of supervised release after supplying drugs to the Sidney area.
Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said in a press release that the suspect, 53-year-old San Diego resident Marc Buetow, pleaded guilty on October 22, 2020, to possession with intent to distribute meth. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided over the suspect.
Meth Distribution
Authorities accused Buetow with connection to the Mexican Cartel where he got his supply of meth and distributed it to residents in California and Montana. Officials said the suspect was involved with the distribution of meth to the Sidney area and eastern Montana between October 2015 and at least November 2017.
Buetow quickly became a significant source of meth for a Sidney distributor who received several pounds of the drug in 2016 and 2017. Ten pounds of meth is able to create 36,240 doses. With his supply of drugs, Buetow allegedly made approximately $52,000, KULR8 reported.
The suspect’s case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing violent crime across the region. Federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement in Montana coordinate with each other through PSN to address violent crime.