A 53-year-old man from Dickinson, Michael McKeen, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges of attempting to traffic more than 500 grams of methamphetamine in Bismarck.
McKeen was arrested in February 2024 after authorities executing a search warrant found approximately 4 pounds of meth at a motel on North 14th Street. He also faces related human trafficking charges.
Under a plea agreement, prosecutors will seek to dismiss a coercion or enticement charge against McKeen. The federal trafficking charge carries a potential life sentence, with a mandatory minimum of 10 years.
U.S. District Judge Dan Traynor announced he will wait to formally accept McKeen’s guilty plea at sentencing, scheduled for December 15. At that time, the judge and attorneys will review a presentence investigation report.
McKeen’s defense attorney, Mark Meyer, indicated plans to explore the possibility of entering his client into a drug treatment program before sentencing, but the judge has yet to rule on that request.
At the time of McKeen’s arrest, an accomplice identified as Ivy Kelly, also from Dickinson, was detained. A tip from another drug task force led officers to obtain the search warrant for both the motel and McKeen’s vehicle.
The search uncovered meth and other evidence tied to trafficking, along with a journal belonging to Kelly. Entries indicated her involvement in prostitution and that she gave proceeds to McKeen.
Both suspects were initially charged in South Central District Court, but McKeen’s case was transferred to federal court in April 2024.
Kelly pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor conspiracy charge related to drug trafficking and received two years supervised probation after serving 120 days in jail and entering a drug treatment program.
However, a petition to revoke her probation was filed on August 26, and she is currently wanted by authorities.
