Felis Lusiano Romo Found Guilty In Federal Court

The United States Attorney's Office announced that on April 24, 204, in Billings, after a 2 day federal district court trial before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters, FELIS LUSIANO ROMO, a 32-year-old resident of Moses Lake, Washington, was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm. He is currently detained pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart presented evidence that in 2012 and 2013, Robert Armstrong operated a drug distribution enterprise between Moses Lake, Washington, and Sidney, Montana. Felis Romo was among those who supplied methamphetamine to Armstrong for re-distribution in the Bakken. The evidence disclosed that Armstrong had begun methamphetamine trafficking operations in the Sidney area in approximately April 2012 and the activities of Armstrong and his coconspirators continued until approximately September/October 2013. The conspiracy employed couriers who transported methamphetamine from the State of Washington to Montana. Sometimes the couriers drove the methamphetamine all the way to Sidney and other times the couriers met Armstrong, or his associates, mid-way---at Butte, Big Timber, and Livingston.

In early 2013, members of the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation (MDCI), the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Sidney, Montana Police Department began to investigate Armstrong's drug trafficking organization. As part of the investigation, informants and an undercover MDCI agent made controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Armstrong and many of his associates in February and March, 2013.

In the summer of 2013, Armstrong's operation was faltering and Romo came to Sidney from Moses Lake to get things straightened out and take over for Armstrong as the organization's distributor in the Sidney/Bakken area.

A grand jury subsequently indicted Armstrong and several of his accomplices who have all since entered guilty pleas to trafficking charges.

Romo faces possible penalties of 40 years imprisonment, $5,000,000 in fines and 4 years supervised release.