Moorcroft man sentenced for felony possession

A Moorcroft man has been given a split sentence on felony possession charges after marijuana was allegedly found on his person when he was arrested for failing to meet the conditions of his parole.

According to court reports, Jason Anderson was arrested by a Crook County Sheriff’s Office Deputy at the Probation and Parole Office in Sundance due to noncompliance with the terms and conditions of his parole.

The deputy reports that, during the arrest, he detected the odor of raw and burned marijuana about his person. Anderson allegedly denied having any with him and said he had been around someone smoking marijuana the previous day.

During the intake process, however, a detention officer allegedly located pieces of suspected marijuana plant in his shirt pocket. According to court reports, Anderson stated that he purchased it at a dispensary in Billings, MT.

The substance, which was loose rather than in a container, weighed 0.4 g and tested positive for marijuana.

Anderson pled guilty to two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, third or subsequent offense, with known prior convictions in Natrona County in 2022 and under the name “John Cioffi” in Campbell County in 1998 and 2005.

Judge Matthew F.G. Castano sentenced Anderson to between three and five years in a state penal institution on each county, to run concurrently, and a $100 fine on each count. Credit was given for nine days served.

The remaining sentence is suspended pending successful completion of three years of supervised probation.

The sentence – and probation – will run concurrently with Anderson’s sentences in cases in Campbell and Natrona counties.