Livingston man sentenced to 2 years in prison on drug charges (DOJ)

BILLINGS - A Livingston man who trafficked methamphetamine was sentenced today to 24 months in prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Kyle Richard Lewellen, 43, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

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

The government alleged in court documents that in March of 2020, law enforcement began investigating Lewellen and others for distributing methamphetamine in Livingston and elsewhere in Montana. Investigators obtained the data from the phones of Lewellen and his co-conspirators. There were text messages between them discussing methamphetamine trafficking as well as using the trunk lining in Lewellen's vehicle as a place to hide drugs while transporting them. In those exchanges Lewellen offered to quickly flip any drugs a co-conspirator could front him. He also negotiated the price of ounces of methamphetamine in coming shipments.

On September 20, 2022, a co-defendant was interviewed by law enforcement. He described how another co-defendant would use Lewellen's car for meth trafficking and how Lewellen would wire them money for ounces of methamphetamine. On November 15, 2022, another co-defendant was interviewed and described "renting" Lewellen's car for drug runs and that he would pay Lewellen an ounce of methamphetamine in exchange. The co-defendant said this happened approximately 10 times.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Missouri River Drug Task Force and the Park County Sheriff's Office.

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