Billings man sentenced to prison for meth trafficking, illegal possession of firearm

BILLINGS – A Billings man convicted of trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced today to six years in prison and to four years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.

Calvin Tyrone Bowens, 40, pleaded guilty on Dec. 9, 2020 to possession with intent to distribute meth and to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that on April 7, 2020, Montana State Probation and Parole officers searched Bowens’ residence after law enforcement stopped him earlier and he admitted to possessing a firearm and narcotics at his home. Bowens was on state probation for felony convictions at the time and was prohibited from possessing firearms. During a search of Bowens’ residence, officers found a .45-caliber, semi-automatic pistol, numerous rounds of ammunition and 15 to 20 grams of meth. Bowens admitted in an interview with a federal agent to selling about one pound of meth. The investigation further determined that Bowen met with other known drug dealers in the Billings area. In a subsequent search of his residence, agents found meth and two loaded pistol magazines.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie R. Patten prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws, and Project Safe Neighborhoods, the USDOJ’s initiative to reduce violent crime. Through these initiatives, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.

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