POLSON — After he was busted in July of this year, 48-year-old Ronald Lee Phillips Jr. was sentenced to four years in jail in Lake County District Court last Wednesday for possessing the chemicals and materials needed to make meth.

In line with the plea agreement he signed in August, Phillips got a nine-year prison sentence with five years suspended. Under Montana law, the crime carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in the state prison and a fine of $50,000.

In Pablo on July 5, Phillips was pulled over for having an expired car registration. According to court documents, a Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal officer asked him if he had any drugs in the car and Phillips replied yes and handed over a small amount of marijuana. The tribal officer then asked permission to search the vehicle to which Phillips agreed and admitted having the ingredients for meth.

According to the affidavit, when asked if he had a complete meth lab, Phillips said “pretty g-- d--- close.”

Phillips was originally booked in Lake County Jail on five charges, including two felonies, and he originally faced the possibility of going to jail for 60 years and paying $75,000 in fines.

In the past 15 years, Phillips has served time for several drug-related crimes.

In October 2005, Phillips was convicted of felony criminal distribution of dangerous drugs and criminal possession with intent to distribute. He was given a suspended sentence which was soon revoked for violating parole. Again he was released. Then he violated parole which was revoked — this time to serve the full prison sentence.