A North Dakota man is facing a litany of charges over his alleged involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking operation stretching into Minnesota. Jerami Cody Leno, 48, has been slapped with charges including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute, among others, according to a statement released by Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
The charges stem from a period between February and July 2024 when Leno purportedly conspired to distribute the drug. Adding to the severity of his case, he was caught with a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol on February 7, 2024, a dire infraction given his previous felony conviction for criminal possession of dangerous drugs in Yellowstone County, Montana. As such, Leno is prohibited to ever possess firearms or ammunition under federal law.
Leno, who appeared in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Jon T. Huseby on March 4, 2025, is now charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, three counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. reported the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota.
Addressing the impact of such crimes on the community, Acting U.S. Attorney Kirkpatrick stated, "Methamphetamine is flooding Minnesota. This includes our small towns in greater Minnesota." She went on to express gratitude for the collaboration with local law enforcement, emphasizing the continued partnership in efforts to "identify those who peddle deadly poison to our communities and bring them to federal justice," according to the press release.
The case against Leno is built on the back of an investigation conducted by multiple agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It is now in the hands of Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner, tasked to prosecute the affair. As it stands, an indictment remains merely an allegation, and Leno, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law beyond reasonable doubt.
