Minot Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Large Amounts of Methamphetamines Into North Dakota From Mexico, and Trafficking Firearms Into Mexico

Minot Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Large Amounts of Methamphetamines Into North Dakota From Mexico, and Trafficking Firearms Into Mexico

BISMARCK - United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on March 27, 2024, Joshua Paul Kranig, age 41, from Minot, North Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Daniel M. Traynor and pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and one count of Possession of Firearms by a Convicted Felon. Kranig was sentenced to serve 10 years and 5 months in federal prison, followed by five years supervised release for the methamphetamine conspiracy conviction, and to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release for the illegal possession of firearms conviction. The sentences will run concurrent to one another.

Kranig was involved in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine from Mexico to North Dakota. Further, Kranig was unlawfully possessing and trafficking firearms into Mexico as payment for the drugs.

"This prosecution took dangerous drugs off the streets of our communities and firearms out of the hands of international cartels," Schneider said. "Where organized drug trafficking occurs, illegal guns and violent crime all too often follow. Our career prosecutors and their law enforcement partners deserve credit for the results in this case, which will benefit public safety in the District of North Dakota and beyond."

This case was investigated by the Minot Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office, with Assistant US Attorney Chris Myers and Assistant US Attorney David Hagler assigned to the case.

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