A Billings man, Ryder Lyle Allard, has received a 57-month prison sentence followed by four years of supervised release. Allard, aged 37, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to distributing methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan Watters handed down the sentence. The prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus, presented allegations showing that Allard had been distributing methamphetamine from March to October 2022. Evidence was gathered through controlled purchases by undercover law enforcement officers and confidential sources in 2022.
One such controlled operation occurred on September 13, 2022, when undercover officers purchased approximately 1.5 ounces of methamphetamine from Allard for $1,365 at a gas station in Billings. The transaction was audio-recorded.
The investigation was carried out by the DEA and was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is a nationwide initiative aiming to reduce violent crime and enhance community safety by bolstering cooperation between law enforcement and community organizations. The program supports serving communities to prevent violence, set strategic enforcement priorities, and measure results. Additional information about Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found at Justice.gov/PSN.