SPOKANE - A Moses Lake man will be spending over 12 years behind bars in a federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Loren John Jay Meade, 32, of Moses Lake, pleaded guilty in October 2018 to conspiracy to distribute 50 or more grams of meth and was sentenced to 12 years and four months in federal prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice on Thursday. Meade’s sentence will be followed by five years of court-ordered supervision, according to a release from the office of Joseph H. Harrington, U.S. Attorney for Washington’s Eastern District.

“Methamphetamine is a highly dangerous and addictive drug and federal law enforcement is committed to investigating and prosecuting those responsible for its distribution anywhere in the Eastern District of Washington. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington commends the law enforcement officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who investigated this case,” Harrington said.

Meade was found to have conspired to distribute meth in Moses Lake with 28-year-old Moses Lake resident John Montenajo. Montenajo was sentenced to seven years in prison, which will be followed by five years of court-ordered supervision, in April.

“The sentences imposed in this case by the court removes two drug traffickers from our streets and sends a clear message to others who may choose to distribute methamphetamine in our communities,” Harrington declared.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at rbyrd@columbiabasinherald.com.