Feds: Montana-California meth ring busted

BILLINGS — Federal officials say their investigations into drug crimes in the Bakken oil patch have led to the arrests of 11 people linked to a ring that trafficked methamphetamine from southern California.

The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the arrests in Montana and California on Friday.

The defendants will face drug conspiracy charges in Montana. The charges carry potential penalties of life in prison and fines of up to $10,000,000 each upon conviction.

The defendants include four Montana residents, three from Los Angeles and four from Taft, Calif.

A formal indictment has not yet been filed.

But an affidavit from an FBI agent described some of the defendants as shipping more than two pounds of meth from California for distribution in Billings, Roundup, Mont. and Rapid City, S.D.