Casper Man, Two Denver Men Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy in Casper

One Casper man and two Denver-area men were recently sentenced in federal court to at least 10 years imprisonment for their roles in a methamphetamine and fentanyl drug trafficking ring in Natrona County, according to federal court records and a press release from the Wyoming U.S. Attorney's Office.

Cole Douglas Herrick, 40, of Casper was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised probation for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson also ordered Herrick to pay $5,000 for community restitution and a $100 special assessment.

Scott Buchanan, 44, was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Johnson ordered him to serve five years of supervised probation after his release from custody, pay $500 for community restitution and a $300 special assessment.

Chad Buchanan, 48, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Johnson also ordered him to serve five years of supervised probation after his release from custody and pay $500 for community restitution and a $200 special assessment.

The federal grand jury indicted the defendants in January and they pleaded guilty in April and May.

Court documents say the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation began investigating Cole Herrick in August of 2022 when Casper Police Department officers found him in a motel room.

Herrick's case started on Aug. 6, 2022.

Casper Police officers went to Herrick's room at a local motel, showed him photos of a wanted person, asked if he knew him, and he denied knowing him.

Officers saw marijuana in plain sight, obtained a search warrant and found a bag with what they believed contained suspected methamphetamine. Herrick also said there was a quantity of 851 grams -- 30.4 ounces -- of meth in his pickup, and officers seized that.

Herrick was arrested and taken into custody.

DCI agents learned Herrick frequently traveled to Denver to get methamphetamine and fentanyl from Chad Buchanan.

Chad Buchanan was arrested for a probation violation in September.

Herrick then obtained methamphetamine and fentanyl from Chad’s brother Scott Buchanan.

Scott Buchanan's case started locally on Dec. 1, when a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a pickup on Hat Six Road after a chase on northbound Interstate 25. Law enforcement officers found 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, numerous fentanyl pills, and a firearm.

In total, the defendants were responsible for distributing more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine and more than 100 grams of fentanyl.