A Glenrock man allegedly involved in an area illicit drug conspiracy heard two felony counts against him during his initial appearance in federal court in Casper on Friday.

Chaney Yates Jones is charged with one count possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Shichich said.

Jones appeared by videoconference from the Platte County jail.

Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl is punishable by between five years and 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5 million fine and four years to life supervised probation after release from custody, Shickich said.

Being a felon in possession of a firearm is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised probation.

Jones will appear for his arraignment and a custody hearing probably in Casper on Nov. 1.

Both crimes allegedly were committed on May 12, according to the indictment filed in U.S. District Court on Sept. 21.

Chaney has a lengthy criminal history, according to records in the state's court database at the Townsend Justice Center. For example, he was sentenced to six months in jail in 2015 for driving over the legs of a man who was working on his SUV east of Casper on Interstate 25

Regarding the current allegations, Jones was initially charged in state court on the fentanyl count on May 21, according to the affidavit accompanying that charging document filed in Natrona County Circuit Court on June 23.

The affidavit says the Central Enforcement Team of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation was conducing separate investigations related to an illegal narcotics conspiracy involving Tyler Bressette, who is federally charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

A search of Bressette's cell phone revealed a Nov. 19, 2021, conversation with Jones who was supposed to have given money to Bressette for fentanyl pill distribution. The quantities of pills numbered in the hundreds and thousands.

Others in the conspiracy were identified and contacted, including a woman who suffered a non-fatal overdose in Casper with fentanyl pills she stole from Bressette.

On May 12, Converse County Sheriff's deputies arrested Jones in Glenrock where they found methamphetamime, cocaine, fentanyl pills, $2,406 in US currency, and a loaded shotgun, according to the affidavit.

On June 3, deputies searched Jones' Glenrock residence again and found 1,000 to 1,500 fentanyl pills.

On May 13 and June 10, DCI agents interviewed Jones, who said he bought 1,000 to 2,000 fentanyl pills a week or every other week from Bressette's suppliers in the Denver area.

Those interviews revealed Jones' relationships with co-conspirators and how much was bought and sold.

In one interview, Jones said he didn't sell to very many people because "'I'm not trying to get in trouble,'" according to the affidavit.

Jones had an apparently rocky business relationship with Bressette.

After saying he didn't sell very many fentanyl pills a week, Jones said, "'Except what happened. Whatever you guys (DCI) probably know about , is me, f-----g, getting with f-----g Tyler (BRESSETTE) and f-----g helping out with some of the f-----g stupid f---s he f----d around with.'"

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