A 41-year-old Cody man was arrested last month after he allegedly tried picking up a meth-filled package. Then, authorities say, another shipment showed up.

Although Chance N. Nelson was in jail when the second package of meth arrived in Cody — and although his significant other reportedly refused to accept it — prosecutors have charged Nelson with a felony count of attempted possession of a controlled substance in connection with the shipment.

That’s on top of the felony count of possession of a controlled substance that Nelson already faced for the package he did allegedly try to pick up last month.

He remained in custody on Monday, with bail set at $15,000 cash across the two cases.

Suspicious crypto payments

The first package was seized by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) on Feb. 6 after it met “several suspicious parameters,” charging documents say.

DCI Special Agent Shane Reece testified last month that suspicions were raised because: the parcel came from California — a state known for being a source of meth; the listed sender appeared to be fictitious; and the postage had been paid for with cryptocurrency.

A subsequent search revealed that the package contained about 28 grams — or roughly 1 ounce — of methamphetamine. Agents seized the drugs, delivered the emptied package to Nelson’s mailbox on Kent Avenue, then arrested him on Feb. 11 when he picked it up.

According to Reece’s testimony, Nelson told DCI that he’d bought the ounce of meth from a black market website on the dark web, paying $190 worth of bitcoin for the ounce. He also allegedly admitted that he’d received similar shipments in the past.

Agents searched Nelson’s home that same day and reportedly found 16 grams of meth and 10 counterfeit, meth-laced Adderall pills in his bedroom safe; Reece mentioned that DCI saw multiple parcels last fall that contained fake Adderall and similarly seemed to have come from a dark web marketplace.

Four children live in Nelson’s home and Agent Reece recommended that Nelson also be charged with child endangering for having meth present in the home with the youth. 

Though no such charge has been filed to date, Deputy Park County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Eichele called the children’s presence “very serious” and said “there are other charges that are coming out of this event.”

Eichele made the comments on Feb. 20, as he opposed a request by Nelson’s court-appointed attorney to reduce the $15,000 cash bond.

Circuit Court Judge Joey Darrah echoed the concern about the children in leaving bail at the $15,000 level.

“With the amount of methamphetamines in the home and potentially an addiction problem, I don’t know how we address that with a child present,” Darrah said.

The judge added that he wouldn’t be surprised if additional charges were filed.

The second case

Just two days before that hearing, on Feb. 18, court records indicate that DCI learned Nelson’s significant other had refused receipt of a different parcel. The second shipment, which was addressed to Nelson, was set to be returned to the sender, but charging documents say authorities seized it.

“This parcel met the same suspicious parameters present on the previously seized parcel” and other past shipments to Nelson, Reece wrote in an affidavit.

The agent secured a search warrant from a federal judge and opened the package on Feb. 26. Sealed inside, authorities reportedly found roughly 30 grams of meth and prosecutors filed an additional charge earlier this month.

At an initial court hearing on March 6, Eichele said the $15,000 bond set last month was sufficient to cover the new charge as well.

When it was his opportunity to address the court, Nelson said he’s completed an online substance abuse course and is attending AA meetings and Bible studies while in jail.

“I’m done with the drugs,” he said. “I miss my family, so [I’m] completely done with that …”

Nelson is currently awaiting to be arraigned in district court on both charges.