Billings man sentenced to 11 years for trafficking meth

BILLINGS - A Billings man who was caught with 10 pounds of methamphetamine while travelling from Wyoming was sentenced Wednesday to 135 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.

Nathan Wilnau, 51, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

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

The government alleged in court documents that Wilnau, working with a partner, was helping bring methamphetamine from California via Wyoming into Billings.

In June 2023, law enforcement learned Wilnau and Christina Lavon Hill were selling illegal drugs in Billings. Agents learned Hill was sending money to a source in San Francisco, who then sent packages of meth to Cody, Wyoming, which Wilnau would go and retrieve.

On his last trip, Wilnau drove to Cody, picked up the package, and was heading back to Billings when he was pulled over. Searching the vehicle, agents found over 10 pounds of meth. They also learned that the source in Cody had previously received three to four packages of meth for Hill and Wilnau.

The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The DEA and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.