California man sentenced to 12 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine in Billings

BILLINGS - A California man who distributed methamphetamine in Billings was sentenced today to 144 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Sergio Rene Tagaban, 56, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

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

On November 7, 2022, law enforcement seized approximately two pounds of methamphetamine from a suspicious parcel shipped to Billings, Montana, from Calexico, California. Tagaban was identified as the person who mailed the package. The intended receiver of the package, Angelena LaFave, was sentenced on November 6, 2024, to five years in prison for her role in the offense.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Vestal prosecuted the case, and the investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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