Meth conspiracy sends Butte man to prison for more than four years

MISSOULA — A Butte drug dealer who admitted to receiving 10 pounds of methamphetamine in two shipments for distribution in the community was sentenced today four years and six months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.

David Ray Shaver, 34, pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth.

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

In court documents in the case, the government alleged that law enforcement learned Shaver was involved in drug trafficking in Montana and was accepting packages of meth through the mail for distribution. When interviewed, Shaver admitted to purchasing meth for $6,000 a pound. Shaver told investigators he accepted one package containing six pounds of meth in December 2018 and another package containing four pounds of meth in January 2019. Shaver worked with other co-conspirators to distribute meth from about August 2018 until February 2019. Ten pounds of meth is the equivalent of 36,240 doses.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, 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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