A Casper man will face trial on four counts of methamphetamine conspiracy and methamphetamine charges, a judge ruled Friday.

Natrona County Circuit Court Judge Michael Patchen bound over Quentin Oler to Natrona County District Court after a preliminary hearing.

Oler is charged with two felony counts of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, and possession of methamphetamine. The first three counts each are punishable by up to 20 years of imprisonment, and the fourth is punishable by up to seven years of imprisonment.

He is being held on a $100,000 bond consecutive to the bond for a previous conviction of methamphetamine.

During the preliminary hearing, Assistant District Attorney Trevor Schenk called Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation agent Charles Nash to testify.

Nash said he interviewed Oler last September. Oler told him he distributed about four ounces of methamphetamine from a source, whose storage unit was searched. One pound of methamphetamine and nine pounds of marijuana were found in the sources storage unit, Nash said.

Meanwhile, law enforcement was investigating Christopher Eads, who was traveling to Colorado to purchase methamphetamine and heroin for distribution in the Casper area. (Eads was arrested after a high speed chase from Casper to Glenrock to Casper on June 3.) One of Eads distributors was a woman who sold methamphetamine to Oler, Nash said.

On May 31, Oler was arrested for driving a stolen motorcycle, Nash said. He had a female passenger who had a warrant for her arrest out of Converse County. Oler told an officer he had methamphetamine on his possession and he was carrying it for the passenger because she had no pockets, and he was driving her to a place where she could sell the drug. Besides a plastic bag with the drug, Oler had a digital scale with suspected methamphetamine residue on it.

Another agent searched Oler's cell phone and found text messages with the woman who was distributing methamphetamine for Eads, Nash said.

During the cross examination, Jon Foreman, Oler's public defender in Converse County, pressed Nash on whether the text messages on Oler's phone were about distribution, or just buying or selling meth together. The latter actions, Foreman said, would not constitute a conspiracy to distribute.

Oler was not directly involved with Eads' operation, either, Foreman said.

Schenk, under re-cross examination, further asked Nash about Oler's relationship with the woman who was Eads' distributor. "They are co-conspirators in methamphetamine distribution," Schenk said.

Oler did not testify during the preliminary hearing.

Patchen agreed the state had shown there was probable cause that Oler had committed the crimes and bound the case over for trial.

Besides this case, Oler had other connections to methamphetamine distribution.

Oler -- also known as "Q" -- was among those involved in a major Casper-area methamphetamine distribution ring headed locally by Richard Lee Wickham -- the chief defendant in a federal case. In April, U.S. District Court Judge Alan Johnson sentenced Wickham to 19 years seven months of imprisonment for his role in the conspiracy.

In March, Oler was convicted in state district court on one count of conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

In June, Oler was due to be sentenced before Natrona County District Court Judge Thomas Sullins.

However, Oler didn't show up, so Sullins issued a bench warrant for his arrest. He was wanted for failure to appear at a court hearing on charge of improper registration, no proof of insurance and driving under suspension; failure to comply; and a felony warrant with an original charge of conspiracy to deliver meth.

He was on the lam for about a month-and-a-half.

On Aug. 11, Oler was seen driving stolen pickup truck westbound on 13th Street when he saw a police vehicle, made a quick U-turn and headed the other direction. Another officer approached, Oler, who tried another U-turn and drove into a ditch.

He ran.

Police found him hiding in some bushes and took him into custody.

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