The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming recently announced that John Fowler, 42, who has no permanent residency, has been sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Fowler was arrested in Natrona County on August 1, 2024.
The investigation began on July 31, 2024, when Wyoming law enforcement agencies learned that Fowler was planning to travel to Wyoming with a large amount of drugs.
The following day, a Natrona County Sheriff’s deputy discovered the vehicle driving northbound on I-25 toward Casper. The deputy observed the vehicle speeding and initiated a traffic stop near milepost 185.
A Casper Police Department K9 detected the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. A subsequent search uncovered 404 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 48 grams of cocaine.
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) responded to help with the drug investigation.
Search warrants and interviews revealed that Fowler and two other occupants in the vehicle, Allen Baker, 22, of Casper, and Berlynn Ditton, 21, of Casper, had transported the drugs from Texas to Natrona County for distribution.
On May 29, 2025, Chief U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced Fowler to 151 months (~12.6 years) imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
Baker was charged with three counts of controlled substance possession in state court and sentenced to six to eight years in prison with a suspension.
Ditton was charged with two counts of conspiracy to deliver, and she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, receiving a one-year suspended sentence plus time served.
“This case is a powerful example of how proactive drug interdiction and interagency collaboration prevent dangerous drugs from entering our community,” said Natrona County Sheriff John Harlin. “We will continue to take decisive action against those who threaten the safety of our residents.”
