A Dillon resident has been sentenced to over 11 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. Jason Louie Tong, aged 50, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen delivered the sentence, which includes five years of supervised release following imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office after investigations revealed that Tong had sourced large quantities of drugs from Washington for distribution in southwest Montana. In March 2023, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation discovered Tong's involvement in drug distribution activities. Authorities recovered drugs from his vehicle on multiple occasions throughout the year, leading to his arrest during a third stop.
Tong reportedly made at least four trips to Washington in 2023, each time bringing back significant amounts of meth and fentanyl—between five and ten pounds of methamphetamine and 10,000 to 50,000 fentanyl pills per trip.
The investigation was conducted by several law enforcement agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; Drug Enforcement Administration; Montana Division of Criminal Investigation; Montana Highway Patrol; Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office; Butte Silver Bow Law Enforcement; and Idaho State Police.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering trust within communities and supporting preventive community-based organizations. The program sets strategic enforcement priorities while measuring outcomes to enhance neighborhood safety.
For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit Justice.gov/PSN.