MISSOULA — A Missoula man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine was sentenced to federal prison on Monday, November 13, 2023.
Robert Dean Spearson, 40 —was sentenced to 11 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Spearson had pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute meth after law enforcement found the drug in a backpack he had discarded.
The government alleged in court documents that on Nov. 21, 2021, members of the Montana Violent Offenders Task Force attempted to arrest Spearson in Missoula.
Spearson fled from officers and was found and arrested in an apartment. The apartment’s owner said Spearson has been in possession of a black backpack.
Officers found the backpack and found approximately 77 grams of meth in separate baggies, a digital scale, empty small plastic baggies, a safe key, $660 cash, a laptop that listed Spearson as the user. An empty holster was attached to the outside of the backpack.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided over the sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Clark prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Missoula Police Department conducted the investigation.
