District of Idaho
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis Commends Law Enforcement Partners During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
BOISE – In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement. The week will be observed Sunday, May 10 through Saturday, May 16, 2020.
“There is no more noble profession than serving as a police officer,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The men and women who protect our communities each day have not just devoted their lives to public service, they’ve taken an oath to give their lives in order to ensure our safety. And they do so not only in the face of hostility from those who reject our nation’s commitment to the rule of law, but also in the face of evolving adversity – such as an unprecedented global health pandemic. This week, I ask all Americans to join me in saying ‘thank you’ to our nation’s federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers. Their devotion and sacrifice to our peace and security will not be taken for granted.”
“I am grateful for the professionalism, dedication and quiet courage our law enforcement partners continually demonstrate under demanding and often dangerous circumstances,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “My office sees firsthand how brave men and women of law enforcement fulfill their sworn duty to uphold justice every day without question and without expectation of thanks. We want them to know they have our unwavering support and appreciation. This week, and every day, we have their backs and they have our thanks.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities they swore to serve.
Based on data collected and analyzed by the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 89 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2019. Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing most of the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2019.
In Idaho, there have been a total of 72 fallen officers since 1883. Each of these officers are remembered for their brave service to our state at the Idaho Peace Officers’ Memorial. For more information about the memorial and for a list of these honored Idaho heroes please visit idahopeaceofficersmemorial.com.
The names of the fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Memorial will be read on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, during a Virtual Annual Candlelight Vigil. Because public events have been suspended as a result of COVID-19, the vigil will be livestreamed to the public at 6:00 pm (MDT). The online event can be viewed at www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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Coeur d’Alene Tribal Member Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Christopher Randle, 59, of Plummer, Idaho, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 57 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David Nye also ordered Randle to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Randle pled guilty to the charge in December 2019.
According to court records, Randle admitted that on multiple occasions in April and May 2019, he sold methamphetamine to an individual on the Coeur d’Alene reservation.
This case was investigated by Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Division of Drug Enforcement.
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Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis Recognize Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness DayRead the Press Release
BOISE – Today, President Donald J. Trump proclaimed May 5, 2020, as Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day. The proclamation reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to reverse the trend of violence affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives and to remember those missing or lost. Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis shared their commitment to providing justice to these victims and their families.
“American Indian and Alaska Native people have suffered injustices for hundreds of years, including today’s rampant domestic and sexual violence carried out primarily against women and girls,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Today, President Trump has proclaimed a day to remember all those missing and lost to this unacceptable violence. Through the Presidential Task Force – co-chaired by Katie Sullivan, who heads our Office of Justice Programs – and in partnership with Tribal Nations, we are all committed to ending this cycle of violence. To that end, we have brought unprecedented resources to support public safety and victim services, including $270 million in grant funding in fiscal year 2019. The department is also hiring 11 coordinators to consult with tribes and develop common protocols to address this scourge of violence. From this day forward, today’s proclamation marks a time for all of us to honor Native Americans who have been lost and rededicate ourselves to what President Trump has called ‘our mission to bring healing, justice, hope, and restoration’ to American Indian and Alaska Native communities.”
“Idaho’s Legislature designated today as a ‘Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People,’” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “President Trump, Attorney General Barr and I recognize the tremendous suffering by the families and friends of murdered and missing Indian people. This loss is a great tragedy. Today, with Idaho, our office resolves, as our Legislature wrote to ‘honor the lives of all missing and murdered indigenous people’ by working with our federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners to make a more significant difference.”
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DOJ Increases Efforts to Combat Sexual Harassment in Housing During COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis is asking anyone who has witnessed or experienced sexual harassment by a landlord, property manager, maintenance worker, or anyone with control over housing to report that conduct to the Department of Justice.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the ability of many people to pay rent on time and has increased housing insecurity. The Department of Justice has heard reports of housing providers trying to exploit the crisis to sexually harass tenants. Sexual harassment in housing is illegal, and the Department of Justice stands ready to investigate such allegations and pursue enforcement actions where appropriate.
“While most landlords respond with understanding and care, trying to work with their tenants to weather the crisis, there are national reports of other landlords who have demanded sexual favors to defer rent payments. Although unaware of any reports locally, I emphasize this behavior will not be tolerated at any time, especially now,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “The Department of Justice has not hesitated to intervene when clear misconduct occurs.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho will work closely with state and local partners to identify incidents of sexual harassment in housing.
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. The goal of the Initiative is to address sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing.
Launched in 2017, the Initiative has filed lawsuits across the county alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing and recovered millions of dollars in damages for harassment victims. The Justice Department’s investigations frequently uncover sexual harassment that has been ongoing for years. Many individuals do not know that being sexually harassed by a housing provider can violate federal law or that the Department of Justice may be able to help.
The Department of Justice, through the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act.
The Department encourages anyone who has experienced sexual harassment in housing, or knows someone who has, to contact the Civil Rights Division by calling (844) 380-6178 or emailing [email protected].
Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho by calling (208) 334-1211 or emailing [email protected].
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Coronavirus is No Excuse for HateRead the Press Release
BOISE – On June 19, 1982, 27-year-old Vincent Chin, a Chinese-American man, was out with friends in Detroit, Michigan, when he encountered two white autoworkers. In the 1980s, the American auto industry faced growing troubles, including competition from Japanese auto manufacturers. Apparently assuming Chin was Japanese, the two autoworkers harassed him about Japan’s success in the auto industry. This led to a fight. After they were thrown out of the club, the fight continued in the parking lot. The two autoworkers then searched the neighborhood for Chin and his friends. Outside of a McDonald's, one of the autoworkers held Chin while the other repeatedly struck Chin in the head with a baseball bat. Four days later, on June 23, Chin died.
A state court plea bargain reduced the second-degree murder charges against the two killers to manslaughter. They were both sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay a $3,000 fine. Two civil rights trials and a civil suit followed, but neither killer spent a day in jail.
Some 38 years later, Vincent Chin’s senseless death serves as a grim reminder of our country’s often forgotten history of discrimination and hate crimes committed against Asians, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. As we confront the novel coronavirus, it has never been more important for us to remember this history. Unfortunately, I have received reports that hate crimes in this country against Asians, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders are on the rise. We will never tolerate this.
My office, like my Department of Justice colleagues and our federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecution partners throughout the nation, is committed to fighting hate crimes like the one that took Vincent Chin’s life. Our Constitution and our laws guarantee freedom from discrimination based on race, color, religion and national origin. I learned these values from my dear parents, trusted family and friends, church, and by experience. I hold these principles dearly. My office stands ready to guard these principles by prosecuting those who violate them.
To this end, I ask each and every one of you to help us protect the principles and values codified in our laws and our great Constitution. You can do this by reporting hate crimes to law enforcement. If we ignore hate crimes, we erode the very fabric of our country’s dearest principles and values. The novel coronavirus threat, and our fight against it, is with the disease itself, not with another nation, race, color, ethnicity, religion, or national origin.
There were many tragedies in the Vincent Chin case. But the biggest tragedy was that Chin was murdered for no reason other than how he looked. As you go about your day, please take a moment to remember this tragedy, and other hate crimes like it. Report hate crimes to law enforcement.
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Department of Justice Makes $850 Million Available to Help Public Safety Agencies Address COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOISE – The Department of Justice announced that it is making $850 million available to help public safety agencies respond to the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19. The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump, will allow eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. The department is moving quickly to make awards, with the goal of having funds available for drawdown within days of the award.
There are 16 eligible county and municipal government agencies throughout Idaho with eligible program allocations ranging from $33,705 to $363,360. The total available award amount for Idaho is $1,567,287.
“Amidst waning resources and challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, local agencies must continue their mission critical work,” said U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis. “I am pleased the Department of Justice has made more than $1.5 million available for Idaho’s front line responders. Providing this emergency funding to our public safety partners will help reinforce their essential mission of keeping Idaho communities safe.”
“This is an unprecedented moment in our nation’s history and an especially dangerous one for our front-line law enforcement officers, corrections officials, and public safety professionals,” said Office of Justice Programs Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “We are grateful to the Congress for making these resources available and for the show of support this program represents.”
The solicitation, posted by the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will remain open for at least 60 days and be extended as necessary. OJP will fund successful applicants as a top priority on a rolling basis as applications are received. Funds may be used to hire personnel, pay overtime costs, cover protective equipment and supplies, address correctional inmates’ medical needs and defray expenses related to the distribution of resources to hard-hit areas, among other activities. Grant funds may be applied retroactively to Jan. 20, 2020, subject to federal supplanting rules.
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for this emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations can be found at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations.
For more information about the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553. For more information about the Office of Justice Programs, please visit https://www.ojp.gov/.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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U.S. Attorney Urges Public to Report Suspected COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis of the District of Idaho today urged the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address [email protected]. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office can be reached at (208) 334-1211.
In coordination with the Department of Justice, Attorney General William Barr has directed U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of Coronavirus fraud schemes.
“While most Idahoans are finding ways to help their neighbors, unfortunately, there are others who are taking advantage during this time of uncertainty,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “It is essential that federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement remain vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis. The pandemic is difficult enough without wrongdoers seeking to profit from public panic. Such conduct cannot and will not be tolerated.”
Some examples of these schemes include:
- Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
- Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
- Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
- Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.
In a memorandum to U.S. Attorneys issued March 19, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen also directed each U.S. Attorney to appoint a Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator to serve as the legal counsel for the federal judicial district on matters relating to the Coronavirus, direct the prosecution of Coronavirus-related crimes, and to conduct outreach and awareness activities. The District of Idaho’s Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator is Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit.
The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud schemes. The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities.
To find more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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U.S. Attorney Davis Assures Public that DOJ Priorities Continue Amidst COVID-19Read the Press Release
BOISE – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho is managing all resources in a way that aligns with the desired outcome of slowing the transmission of COVID-19. While this aggressive posture may affect some operations, the public can be assured that essential federal law enforcement, criminal prosecution, and national security functions will continue as usual. We continue our work to preserve and protect public safety in the District of Idaho.
“We consider our fundamental mission to ensure public safety and we currently have a plan in place to continue fulfilling that important mission during this current public health emergency,” said U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis. “My office remains open, but we are taking precautions and have significantly adjusted operations and services to minimize face-to-face interactions.”
In addition to ensuring that the justice system can continue functioning during the current national crisis, it is essential that federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement remain vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis. In particular, there have been reports of individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud, reports of phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and reports of malware being inserted onto mobile apps designed to track the spread of the virus. The pandemic is dangerous enough without wrongdoers seeking to profit from public panic. Such conduct cannot be tolerated. Accordingly, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has prioritized the detection, investigation, and prosecution of all criminal conduct related to the current pandemic.
“We are immensely grateful for the many public health and medical professionals and first responders on the front lines of protecting our communities from the novel coronavirus,” said Davis. “We are also grateful to everyone who is following the guidance of the CDC, whether that means staying home or taking appropriate precautions when they must go out. During this time of uncertainty and fear, it is very important that all Americans act responsibly, look out for one another, act out of compassion and generosity, and look for opportunities to help their neighbors. Likewise, federal law enforcement will continue doing our part to keep our communities safe.”
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U.S. Attorney Davis Announces New Criminal ChiefRead the Press Release
BOISE – Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. Whatcott will be the new Criminal Chief for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, announced U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis. He succeeds Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Lucoff as the Criminal Chief. Mr. Lucoff was the Criminal Chief for over nine years. At Mr. Lucoff’s request, U.S. Attorney Davis allowed him to step down as Criminal Chief so that he could pursue other opportunities within the Department of Justice. Mr. Whatcott will become the Criminal Chief on March 15, 2020.
Mr. Whatcott is a graduate of the University of Idaho College of Law. There, he served as an intern at the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office and was a dean’s list student. After graduating law school in 2001, he joined the Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where he handled a number of major felony cases. In September 2005, Mr. Whatcott joined the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office. In December 2005, he joined the Idaho Attorney General’s Office, serving as Lead Deputy Attorney General in the Special Prosecutions unit. In February 2009, he became the second Gang Special AUSA to work for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho. In September 2010, he took the oath of office to become an Assistant United States Attorney. He served as the District of Idaho’s Immigration Coordinator, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, and Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Coordinator. Mr. Whatcott has also been an active criminal litigator throughout his tenure with the office, and will continue to litigate cases in addition to filling the role of Criminal Chief.
“It has been a privilege to have Aaron guide our criminal division for nearly a decade. His service to our District was remarkable and I will always be grateful for the contributions he has made to better our office,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “I am excited about this new opportunity for Justin to lead our criminal division. He is a natural leader and is well respected within the office. I look forward to working alongside him.”
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Central Idaho Drug Conspiracy Charged in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE - Ryan James Cook, 35, and Richard Gordon Bashaw, 49, both of Grangeville, Idaho, and Justina Maemarie Foster, 39, of Lewiston, Idaho, were arrested on February 27, 2020, on federal gun and drug charges, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. The charges stem from a February 19, 2020, eight-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court by a federal grand jury sitting in Coeur d’Alene.
The indictment alleges that between May 24, 2019, and January 21, 2020, Cook, Bashaw, and Foster conspired to distribute methamphetamine. The indictment identifies five separate instances of drug distribution and alleges that recently, on January 21, 2020, Cook possessed over 50 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it. Cook is also charged with felon in possession of a firearm.
Federal methamphetamine distribution charges are generally punishable by up to twenty years in prison, a fine up to $1 million, and at least three years of supervised release. Defendants charged with distributing more than five grams of pure methamphetamine face a minimum term of five years and up to forty years in prison, a fine up to $5 million, and a minimum of four years supervised release. Defendants charged with distributing more than fifty grams of pure methamphetamine face a minimum term of ten years and up to life in prison, a fine up to $10 million, and a minimum of five years supervised release.
The charge of felon in possession of a firearm is punishable by up to ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
Cook, Bashaw, and Foster were arraigned on February 28, 2020, in Coeur d’Alene. Trial on the matter has been set for April 6, 2020, at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene. All three defendants will remain in custody pending trial.
This case was investigated by the Hells Canyon Narcotics Working Group, composed of investigators with Federal Bureau of Investigation, Idaho State Police, Lewiston Police Department, Nez Perce Tribal Police, Grangeville Police Department, and Idaho County Sheriff’s Office. The United States Forest Service and Quad Cities Drug Task Force also assisted in the investigation.
This indictment was the result of a joint investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Program participants include Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service.
An indictment is a means of charging a person with criminal activity. It is not evidence. The person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Twin Falls Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BOISE – David Paul Roberts, 60, of Twin Falls, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and a concurrent sentence of 120 months in prison for the theft of firearms, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Roberts to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Roberts pleaded guilty to both charges on October 1, 2019.
According to court records, Roberts and others conspired to distribute over 15 kilograms of methamphetamine into the Twin Falls area. He also recruited others to help him steal over 100 firearms, ammunition, and other property from a ranch in Gooding, Idaho. Investigators conducted an extensive investigation of Roberts and his co-conspirators, including using a wiretap to intercept phone calls and text messages between Roberts and others. On December 10, 2018, investigators arrested Roberts as he returned to Idaho from California in possession of over 12 pounds of methamphetamine. Investigators worked hard to recover the stolen firearms. To date, however, only 20 of the guns have been recovered. Roberts has a lengthy criminal history including felony convictions for burglary, aggravated assault, and delivery of methamphetamine.
This case was the result of a long-term investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Idaho State Police, Twin Falls Police Department, Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, and Gooding County Sheriff’s Office.
This indictment was the result of a joint investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Program participants include Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service.
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Lewiston Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Multiple OffensesRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE - James Howard Gallaher, 34, of Lewiston, Idaho, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to prison in two separate cases for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a stolen firearm, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Gallaher in each case to 120 months in federal prison to run concurrently with each other. Upon completion of his prison time, Gallaher was ordered to serve an additional three years of supervised release.
According to court records, Gallaher was arrested in July 2018, after he was found passed out in a stolen vehicle and in possession of a stolen firearm. After his arrest, officers discovered that Gallaher had also been involved in a conspiracy to steal and distribute prescription-controlled substances from the Owl Southway Pharmacy in Lewiston. During that conspiracy, thousands of pills were stolen by a co-conspirator from the pharmacy and then distributed by Gallaher and others to individuals in Lewiston and on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office, Lewiston Police Department, and Nez Perce Tribal Police.
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Post Falls Women Sentenced to Ten Years for Murder for Hire PlotRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE - Katrina (Katie) Lynn Danforth, 32, of Post Falls, Idaho, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 120 months in federal prison for use of interstate commerce facilities in commission of murder for hire, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Danforth to pay a $1,000 fine and serve three years of supervised release following her prison sentence. Danforth pleaded guilty to the charge on August 6, 2019.
According to court records, Danforth admitted that in October 2018 she agreed to pay a “hitman” to murder someone. During October and November 2018, she met in person with the hitman, called him on the phone and mailed him a thank you card with a $2,500 cash down payment. The hitman was actually an undercover police officer and Danforth was arrested. At the sentencing hearing, the United States played a recording of Danforth’s conversation with the hitman. Danforth could be heard describing how she wanted to make sure the man was dead and his body was found. Danforth has remained in custody since her arrest in December 2018.
This case was investigated by the North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force (NIVCTF). The NIVCTF is a FBI sponsored task force comprised of law enforcement from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Post Falls Police Department, Idaho Department of Correction, and Homeland Security Investigations.
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Twin Falls Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOISE - Seth Anthony Johnson, 35, of Twin Falls, Idaho, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court in Boise to 60 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of child pornography, and sexual exploitation of minor after a prior conviction for a felony sex offense, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Johnson to serve lifetime supervised release following his prison sentence. After a three-day trial held in October 2019, a jury found Johnson guilty of the three crimes.
According to court records, Johnson was arrested on November 29, 2017. At that time, federal agents discovered six images of child pornography on his cell phone. After eight months of investigation, agents identified the minor victim as an 8-year-old girl. Agents also determined that Johnson had produced the images of child pornography with his cell phone. At the time that he did so, Johnson was required to register as a sex offender under federal and state law due to a prior rape conviction.
“The 60-year sentence imposed by Chief Judge Nye will ensure the community’s most vulnerable members, young children, are protected from future predatory behavior by Johnson,” U.S. Attorney Davis said. “The continued dedication and determination of federal agents to identify the victim in this case was nonpareil.”
“These heinous crimes against children must come to an end,” said Eben Roberts, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle. “The sentencing in this case represents how committed HSI and our partners are about removing dangerous predators from our streets. I could not be more proud of all of those involved in this case,” Roberts continued.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Horseshoe Bend Woman Sentenced to 41 Months for Wire Fraud for Defrauding Saint Alphonsus Health SystemRead the Press Release
BOISE – Lois Soito, 60, of Horseshoe Bend, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for wire fraud U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Soito to serve three years of supervised release following her release from prison and to pay $1,483,963.82 in restitution. Soito pleaded guilty on November 13, 2019.
According to court records, for 22 years, Soito was employed by the Saint Alphonsus Health System (SAHS) in Boise. In her job, Soito had access to money raised at the Festival of Trees. Beginning in January 2005, Soito devised a scheme to defraud SAHS to obtain money and property. Beginning in January 2005, Soito kept checks intended for SAHS instead of depositing them in the appropriate account. She then fraudulently deposited some of the checks into a bank account used to reimburse SAHS vendors. From that account, Soito wrote checks payable to herself and deposited them into a credit union account she controlled. Soito also used some of the checks that she kept to conceal her theft of funds from the Festival of Trees from 2014 through 2018. Soito used similar methods with other accounts connected to the SAHS between approximately 2014 and 2019 to embezzle additional funds.
This case was investigated by FBI and Boise Police Department.
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78 Year Old Boise Man Sentenced to Federal Prison a Second Time for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE – Clinton DeWitt Bays, Jr., 78, of Boise, was sentenced to 96 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Bays to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Bays pleaded guilty on October 28, 2019.
According to court records, Bays was arrested and charged with drug trafficking and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in state court on December 31, 2017. On January 11, 2018, Bays posted a $250,000 bond and was released from state custody. While out on bond in the state case, Bays sold methamphetamine to an undercover officer on three occasions. A federal grand jury indicted Bays on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on February 14, 2018. Bays was detained and has been in federal custody since that time. A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment on December 12, 2018, charging Bays with selling methamphetamine to an undercover detective on December 19, 2017, January 14, 2018, January 16, 2018, and January 30, 2018. Bays admitted that on January 30, 2018, he sold four ounces of methamphetamine to an undercover detective in exchange for $1,600.
Bays had previously been sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine and gun charges in 2009. Bays pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm, and was sentenced on March 13, 2009, to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In 1992, Bays was convicted of two counts of vehicular manslaughter and aggravated driving while under the influence, ending his 26-year career as a Boise City Police Officer and Sergeant. On January 11, 2007, the State of Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole pardoned Bays on the vehicular manslaughter and aggravated driving while under the influence.
This case was a result of a joint investigation by the Boise and Meridian Police Departments and the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Program participants include Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service.
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Heyburn Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Sexually Explicit Images of MinorsRead the Press Release
POCATELLO - John R. Godfrey, 52, of Heyburn, Idaho, pleaded guilty to possession of sexually explicit images of minors, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Godfrey was indicted by a Pocatello federal grand jury on February 26, 2019.
According to court records, in April 2018, detectives with the Idaho Internet Crimes against Children (ICAC) Task Force interviewed Godfrey after receiving a cyber tip that he was in possession of child pornography. Godfrey admitted to receiving child pornography images and videos from other individuals in online chat groups. Godfrey also admitted that he possessed images of child pornography on his cell phone of children aged 9 to 11 years old. Investigators later searched Godfrey’s cell phone and a forensic analysis found the multiple images he admitted to possessing.
The charge of possession of sexually explicit images of minors is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of 5 years to life.
Sentencing is set for April 20, 2020, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
This case was investigated by the Idaho Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, with the assistance of Heyburn Police Department, and was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Mountain Home Man Sentenced to More Than Eleven Years in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE - James O'Keith Mason, 37, of Mountain Home, Idaho, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 137 months in prison for distributing five grams or more of pure methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Mason to pay a $2,000 fine and serve 5 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. A federal grand jury indicted Mason on November 15, 2018. Mason pleaded guilty to the charge on July 17, 2019.
According to court records, law enforcement used a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from Mason on two separate occasions and to purchase a firearm on a third occasion. Mason has a lengthy criminal history that includes robbery, drug-related offenses, domestic violence, witness intimidation, and burglary. In announcing the sentence. Judge Nye noted that Mason was under the supervision of the Idaho Department of Correction when he distributed methamphetamine and that he had threatened someone with a gun during the same time period.
This case was investigated by Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local agencies, including Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Boise Police Department; Caldwell Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; Meridian Police Department; Nampa Police Department; and Idaho Department of Correction.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit www.treasurevalleypartners.org.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and HeroinRead the Press Release
BOISE – Ubaldo Soto-Diaz, an illegal alien from Mexico, but residing in Portersville, California, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Soto-Diaz to pay a $2,000 fine and serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Soto-Diaz pleaded guilty to the charge on July 18, 2019.
According to court records, Soto-Diaz admitted that between August 28, 2018, and January 28, 2019, he conspired with six other defendants to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. Soto-Diaz was found to be the leader and organizer of an extensive criminal organization that was responsible for distributing high potency methamphetamine, manufactured in Mexico and then transported from California to Idaho. During their investigation of Soto-Diaz and his organization, DEA agents seized over thirty pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine and almost two pounds of black tar heroin.
According to court records, Soto-Diaz had previously been convicted of transporting a controlled substance in 2000 and possession of controlled substances for sale in 2009. He was deported to Mexico on May 17, 2010. He was found to be illegally present in the United States on May 26, 2010, and was convicted of illegal entry. He again illegally returned to the United States and was convicted of possession of controlled substances for sale and unlawful possession of a firearm in 2012. At the time Soto-Diaz conspired to distribute methamphetamine and heroin to Idaho, he was illegally living in Portersville, California.
This case was a result of a joint investigation with Drug Enforcement Administration, Nampa Police Department, Canyon County Narcotics Unit, and Ada County Sheriff’s Office.
This indictment is the result of a joint investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Program participants include Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service.
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Plummer Man Pleads Guilty to StrangulationRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Brian Quilly Lozon, 40, of Plummer, Idaho, pleaded guilty to strangulation of an intimate partner, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Sentencing for Lozon is set for April 10, 2020, before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
According to court records, Lozon and the victim were in multiple altercations in June 2019. During one of these altercations, Lozon used his hands to grab the victim by the throat and impeded her ability to breathe. Later, during the same altercation, Lozon used his forearm to again apply pressure to her throat. Eventually the victim was able to get away from Lozon and seek help.
Strangulation is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police Department.
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Desmet Man Pleads Guilty to Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Jay Christopher Matt, 38, of Desmet, Idaho, pleaded guilty to witness tampering, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Sentencing for Matt is set for April 9, 2020, before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
According to court records, Matt was initially charged in federal court with multiple counts related to a domestic violence incident that occurred in Desmet in August 2019. While pending trial, law enforcement officers discovered that Matt was contacting potential witnesses in the case, including the victim, and made efforts to persuade witnesses to not cooperate with the ongoing investigation, not show up to trial, or change their story in order to help Matt evade prosecution. Based on this conduct, Matt was charged with witness tampering and ultimately plead guilty.
Witness tampering is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police Department, Benewah County Sheriff’s Office, and Bonner County Sheriff’s Office.
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Coeur d’Alene Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE - Seth Patrick Getty, 24, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, pleaded guilty to bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Sentencing for Getty is set for May 5, 2020, before Chief U.S. District Court Judge David C. Nye.
According to court records, on March 12, 2018, Getty entered the Spokane Teachers Credit Union in Coeur d’Alene, intending to commit a robbery. Getty approached the teller and handed her a note, which read, “I have a gun. Hand over all 20’s 50’s 100’s or else. No Tricks.” The teller complied with the demand and after receiving some money, Getty ran from the bank. Officers quickly responded to the robbery. Based upon security footage from the bank and a local business, a tip from the community, and DMV vehicle records, investigators identified Getty as the perpetrator.
The charge of bank robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least five years.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Coeur d’Alene Police Department.
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Fort Hall Man Sentenced in Truck Driver AssaultRead the Press Release
POCATELLO - Stormy Ray Adakai, 24, of Fort Hall, Idaho, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 57 months in federal prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered that Adakai serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Adakai pleaded guilty to the charge on October 23, 2019. Adakai served six months on the same charge in tribal jail, therefore the Court reduced the original 63-month sentence to give him credit for time served.
According to court records, in the early morning of September 2, 2018, the Fort Hall Police were notified of a truck driver who had been assaulted while inside his semi-truck parked near the TP Gas Station on Ross Fork Road, in the area of the Fort Hall Casino, on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. The victim told police that, while he was asleep in his truck’s cab, an unknown male, later identified as Adakai, broke into the cab and assaulted him. Adakai demanded money and struck the victim repeatedly with rocks. The victim stated that during the assault he tried to scratch the assailant’s face. As a result of the assault, the victim was hospitalized overnight and suffered a broken nose, a broken orbital (eye) bone and a brain hemorrhage. The victim also had seizures as a result of the brain hemorrhage. The treating physician stated that the injuries created a substantial risk of death, extreme physical pain and a protracted and obvious disfigurement.
According to court records, video from a nearby camera showed an individual getting into the cab of the truck through the passenger-side door but the lighting and video quality were too poor to make an identification of the subject. A hat not belonging to the victim was later found in the truck. Fort Hall Police detectives and FBI agents later talked to a witness who said he knew that Adakai had committed the assault because he saw Adakai shortly after the assault occurred. Adakai was at a residence lying on the floor, breathing heavily as if he had been running, and had blood all over him and scratches on his face. He was also intoxicated. Adakai told the witness that he had beat up a trucker and had used rocks to assault the man.
Detectives and agents later interviewed Adakai at his residence. Adakai gave a full confession and admitted that he had assaulted the trucker. He said that he picked up rocks nearby and used those rocks to beat the trucker. He stated that he was intoxicated and wanted money from the victim. Adakai admitted that he was wearing the hat which was found inside the truck after the assault.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Fort Hall Police Department.
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Spokane Man Convicted of Attempted Robbery on Coeur d'Alene Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE - Isiah James Harrington, 19, of Spokane, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court in Coeur d’Alene to 41 months in prison for attempted robbery, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Harrington to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Harrington pleaded guilty to the charge on September 4, 2019.
According to court records, on January 8, 2019, Harrington followed a man from Spokane Valley, Washington, to the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation, in Idaho, to rob him. When the man exited his car, Harrington approached, pointed a firearm, and demanded money. Before he could take the man’s money, Harrington fled when he saw people coming to help from a nearby residence.
This case was prosecuted in federal court because the crime occurred within the boundaries of the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police Department, and Plummer Police Department.
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Meridian Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE - Alexandr Stricharskiy, 40, of Meridian, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 63 months in prison for distributing fifty grams or more of pure methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Stricharskiy to pay a $2,500 fine and serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Stricharskiy pleaded guilty to the charge on April 18, 2019.
According to court records, Stricharskiy sold methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer on three occasions. Also as part of his crimes, Stricharskiy agreed to make a hidden compartment in a vehicle so others could secretly transport drugs. Stricharskiy was the owner and operator of an auto body shop located at 2701 West Idaho Street, Boise, Idaho. As part of his plea agreement, he agreed that this property facilitated his drug trafficking and was subject to forfeiture. The sale of the property netted $100,000 to be forfeited to the United States as equivalent to unrecovered drug proceeds.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Boise Police Department.
This indictment is the result of a joint investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Program participants include Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service.
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U.S. Attorney Davis Announces New Administrative OfficerRead the Press Release
BOISE – Joel M. Hawker is the District of Idaho’s new Administrative Officer, announced U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis.
Mr. Hawker is an Idaho native and a graduate of Boise State University. He started with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in February 2003 as an IT Student Trainee. After graduating from Boise State in 2003 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Networking and Telecommunications, he became the District’s IT Specialist. In January 2016, he was promoted to IT Systems Manager, where he served on the Department of Justice’s Information Technology Working Group (ITWG). The ITWG provides a comprehensive nationwide approach to share information and identify business requirements for IT investments transparent to all affected stakeholders.
In December 2019, USA Davis promoted Mr. Hawker to become the District’s new Administrative Officer. He will continue to aid the IT department and help hire his replacement in addition to filling the role of Administrative Officer.
“Throughout his tenure with the office, Joel has proven to be an invaluable colleague,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “Joel brings unrivaled talent to the leadership team and I look forward to his contributions.”
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U.S. Attorney Davis Announces New Deputy Criminal ChiefRead the Press Release
BOISE – Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Christopher S. Atwood is now the District of Idaho’s Deputy Criminal Chief, announced U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis.
Mr. Atwood is a graduate of the University of Idaho College of Law, where he served on law review and was a dean’s list student. After graduating law school in 2004, he clerked for Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Michael McLaughlin. In September 2005, he joined the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where he handled a number of major felony cases involving violent crime and drugs. In July 2012, he became the fourth Gang Special AUSA to work for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho. In September 2015, he took the oath of office to become an Assistant U.S. Attorney. He served as the District of Idaho’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Reentry and Prevention Coordinator. He has also been an active criminal litigator throughout his tenure with the office, and will continue to litigate cases in addition to filling the role of Deputy Criminal Chief.
“In light of the office’s growth over the past several years and increasing workload, I am pleased that I am able to have a Deputy Criminal Chief to assist our Criminal Chief,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “Chris brings an exceptional skillset to the management team and I look forward to working alongside him.”
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Garden City Man Sentenced in Federal Court for StalkingRead the Press Release
BOISE - Frank Abbott Sweeney, 76, of Garden City, Idaho, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for using the mail to stalk six victims, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also sentenced Sweeney to three years of supervised release and ordered Sweeney to pay a $6,000 fine. Sweeney pled guilty to six counts of stalking on August 21, 2019.
According to court records, the investigation began in December 2015 after Sweeney began sending harassing and unwanted postcards to four victims at their home and business addresses. The postcards were prepaid postcards that had been typed using a typewriter. The postcards contained strong racial epithets, derogatory language, and insults to the victims. Sweeney wrote in the postcards that he had been surveilling the victims and had obtained their personal information. Sweeney sent postcards to victim’s neighbors purporting to be from the Idaho Sex Offender Registry falsely accusing one of the victims of being a convicted sex offender. Sweeney mailed postcards to various inmates around the country purporting to be from the victims and requesting return correspondence. In response, the victims received numerous letters from notorious serial killers and criminals. Sweeney sent a postcard to the Idaho Black History Museum purporting to be from one of the victims. The postcard contained disturbing racial slurs. Sweeney continued to mail harassing postcards to the victims for three years.
In 2018, after Sweeney began mailing similar harassing postcards to two additional victims, law enforcement identified Sweeney as the perpetrator. During a later interview, Sweeney admitted to mailing the postcards and to hiring a private investigator to obtain personal information about the victims. Sweeney said that he decided to send the postcards to the victims after having altercations with the victims over a parking spot at the Garden City post office and a Garden City Wells Fargo bank drive-through window. Neither Sweeney nor the victims knew each other before these altercations.
This case was prosecuted in federal court because Sweeney used the U.S. mail to commit his crimes. This case was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, and Boise Police Department.
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Former Yellowstone Partners’ CEO Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
POCATELLO - David Hansen, 48, of Idaho Falls, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Pursuant to a written plea agreement filed with the court, Hansen pleaded guilty to count 16 of the superseding indictment. The trial set for January 21, 2020 was vacated.
According to court records, Hansen was the Chief Executive Officer and a 90-percent partner in Yellowstone Partners, LLC, an investment management firm headquartered in Idaho Falls. Clients of Yellowstone Partners entrusted their monies to Yellowstone Partners to invest and manage on their behalf. In exchange, Yellowstone Partners earned fees for its services. Yellowstone Partners’ fees were set forth in investment agreements between Yellowstone Partners and its clients.
According to court records, Yellowstone Partners’ clients’ monies were kept in accounts at third party custodians. Yellowstone Partners directed how the monies in client accounts were invested and how they were disbursed. This included submitting email billing requests to a third party custodian to take fees from client accounts and to deposit them into Yellowstone Partners’ own accounts.
According to court records, from 2008 through April of 2016, Hansen knowingly and intentionally devised a scheme to defraud clients of Yellowstone Partners by obtaining money or property by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. Specifically, the scheme was to fraudulently bill clients for fees to which Yellowstone Partners was not entitled under the terms of the investment agreements or otherwise. Through this overbilling scheme, Hansen fraudulently obtained client funds from a third party custodian and used them to enrich himself and to fund Yellowstone Partners’ operations. For certain identified victims, Hansen personally submitted, or was carbon-copied, on 50 fraudulent overbilling requests to a custodian, which resulted in a loss of $2,675,856. For each of the overbillings, Hansen acted with the intent to deceive or cheat the victims.
As part of the plea agreement, Hansen agreed to pay full restitution to the victims of the wire fraud scheme, in an amount to be determined by the court at the time of sentencing. Further, Hansen agreed to a forfeiture judgment in the amount of restitution ordered by the court at the time of sentencing. Finally, Hansen agreed to cooperate with an Internal Revenue Service civil tax examination and assessment, and pay any unpaid tax due and owing, and accrued interest for his 2012 and 2013 Form 1040 joint income tax returns.
“Mr. Hansen was entrusted with other people’s money. He breached their trust. And his conduct over a prolonged period of time undermines the confidence of everyone who entrusts their money with others to invest,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “By this prosecution and guilty plea, we hope to strongly deter others in Hansen’s position from engaging in the same behavior, and assure the investing public that those who do will be held fully accountable.”
“High-ranking corporate officials, such as Mr. Hansen, hold positions of trust not only in their companies, but also in the eyes of the public,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Andy Tsui. “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to investigating individuals who abuse that trust by fraudulently using their corporations as personal piggy banks.”
For the wire fraud count, Hansen faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release.
Sentencing for Hansen is currently set for March 31, 2020, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division.
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Nampa Man Sentenced to Prison on Federal Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BOISE – Harley Wayne Batchelor, 28, of Nampa, Idaho, was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. A federal grand jury indicted Batchelor on March 12, 2019.
According to court records, in February 2019, parole agents and Nampa police officers arrested Batchelor on an outstanding parole warrant at a Nampa motel. Agents located a semi-automatic pistol underneath where Batchelor was lying on a bed. Batchelor has a violent criminal history that includes a felony conviction for aggravated battery, which prohibits him from possessing firearms.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Nampa Police Department, and Idaho Department of Correction.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice's signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department's past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
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Blackfoot Man Sentenced to Nearly 15 Years for Assault with Intent to Commit MurderRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Andrew Dixey Galloway, 30, of Blackfoot, was sentenced to a total of 179 months in federal prison for assault with intent to commit murder and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney Bart M Davis announced today. Galloway was sentenced to 59 months on the assault charge and to a consecutive term of 10 years on the firearm charge. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered that Galloway pay a fine of $1,500 and serve five years of supervised release after he completes his term of imprisonment. Galloway pleaded guilty to the charges on July 29, 2019.
According to court records, on June 17, 2018, Fort Hall Police officers were dispatched to a disturbance report at a house on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. When officers arrived, they heard shouting from inside the house. Inside, the officers saw Galloway holding a rifle and a female victim holding the rifle’s barrel. The officers disarmed and arrested Galloway.
The victim told officers that Galloway had entered her house without permission. She escorted him out and locked the door. He then banged on the door. The victim opened the door. Galloway entered carrying a rifle. The victim immediately grabbed the rifle’s barrel and held on so Galloway could not point it at her. The victim yelled for a family member in the back room to call the police. While Galloway and the victim struggled over the rifle, Galloway fired it three times. After his arrest, Galloway admitted to investigators that he went to the victim’s house with the rifle, intending to kill her and then kill himself.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Fort Hall Police Department.
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Buhl Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Attempting to Use Interstate Facilities to Transmit Information About a MinorRead the Press Release
BOISE – Larry James Cline, 31, of Buhl, Idaho, was sentenced on November 19, 2019 in U.S. District Court to 60 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release, for attempted use of interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Cline pleaded guilty on August 22, 2019.
According to court records, on April 6, 2019, Cline responded to a post on an anonymous social media and chat application posted by an undercover officer posing as a thirteen-year-old girl. During the communications, Cline requested pictures of the minor and her address, and described sex acts he wanted to engage in with the minor. The undercover officer gave Cline an address, which he traveled to, resulting in his arrest.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Cline to forfeit the cellular phone he used in the commission of the offense. As a result of his conviction, Cline will be required to register as a sex offender.
The investigation was part of “Operation Snake Byte,” a joint state and federal undercover operation conducted in Twin Falls County, Idaho in April 2019 to identify individuals predisposed to meet minors for sexual contact. Participating agencies included Homeland Security Investigations, Twin Falls Police Department, Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, Twin Falls County Probation Office, Idaho State Police, United States Postal Inspection Service, Rupert Police Department, Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Criminal Intelligence Center, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Twin Falls County Prosecutor’s Office, and United States Attorney’s Office.
Cline is the last of four defendants charged in federal court as a result of Operation Snake Byte to be sentenced. Previously, the following defendants were sentenced in federal court as a result of Operation Snake Byte:
- Yabet Arizmendi-Sanchez, 33, of Buhl, was sentenced by Judge Winmill to 60 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for attempted use of interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor on October 10, 2019.
- Andrew Wayne Jackson, 52, of Meridian, was sentenced by Judge Winmill to 60 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for attempted use of interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor on November 5, 2019.
- James Cory Koyle, 41, of Burley, was sentenced by Judge Winmill to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor on November 7, 2019.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Federal Jury Convicts Post Falls Man in Drug Distribution CaseRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today that a federal jury sitting in Coeur d’Alene convicted Adam Christopher Horty, 56, of Post Falls, Idaho, of three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of felon in possession of firearms. Horty was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 18, 2018. The trial began on Monday, November 18, 2019, and concluded on Wednesday afternoon when the jury returned their verdicts.
Horty’s case stemmed from an investigation that began in July 2018. Law enforcement agencies learned that Horty was dealing methamphetamine out of a home in Post Falls. Based on this information, officers were able to conduct multiple controlled buys of methamphetamine from Horty at this residence. This led to a search warrant for the home. During the warrant service, Horty was found in possession of 230 grams of actual methamphetamine and drug distribution paraphernalia. Officer also located three firearms in Horty’s bedroom. Horty has multiple prior felony convictions in the State of Washington, which prohibit him from possessing firearms.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 19, 2020, before U.S. Circuit Judge Richard C. Tallman at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Distribution of methamphetamine (more than 5 grams) is punishable by a mandatory minimum of five years up to forty years in prison and at least four years of supervised release. Possession of methamphetamine with the intent distribute (more than 50 grams) is punishable by a mandatory minimum of ten years up to life in prison, and at least five years of supervised release. Unlawful possession of firearms is punishable by up to ten years in prison and three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by North Idaho Violent Crimes Task Force which is composed of law enforcement officers from Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Post Falls Police Department, Idaho State Police, Idaho Department of Correction, and Rathdrum Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime
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Fifteen West Side Loma Gang Members and Associates Indicted in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
BOISE – A federal grand jury indicted fifteen members and associates of the West Side Loma gang for drug trafficking and firearms crimes, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. The charges stem from an investigation by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force.
The charged defendants are Kristina Alvarado, 38, of Nampa; Marvin Arredondo, 30, of Parma; Vanessa Campos, 31, of Caldwell; Brooks Case, 32, of Star; Javier Deluna, 29, of Nampa; Alfredo Esparza, Jr., 48, of Nampa; Leno Esparza, 28, of Nampa; Elisa Mata, 34, of Nampa; Arturo Fuentes, 41, of Caldwell; Alex Ibarra, 21, of Homedale; Stephen Janoushek, 66, of Meridian; Lorensa Muniz, 32, of Caldwell; Miriam Murillo, 33, of Nampa; Harley Ogburn, 27, of Nampa; and Breanna Stell, 28, of Parma. All were indicted on November 13, 2019.
All fifteen defendants are charged with distribution of methamphetamine with most charged for distributing more pure amounts of methamphetamine. Arredondo is also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm. Alvarado, Case, and Stell were already in custody at Canyon County Jail. Ibarra, Mata, Murillo, and Ogburn were already in custody at Idaho Department of Correction. Arredondo, Campos, Deluna, Alfredo Esparza, Jr., Fuentes, Janoushek, and Muniz were arrested earlier this week. Leno Esparza remains at large.
Federal methamphetamine distribution charges are generally punishable by up to twenty years in prison, a fine up to $1 million, and at least three years of supervised release. Defendants charged with distributing more than five grams of pure methamphetamine face a minimum term of five years and up to forty years in prison, a fine up to $5 million, and a minimum of four years supervised release. Defendants charged with distributing more than fifty grams of pure methamphetamine face a minimum term of ten years and up to life in prison, a fine up to $10 million, and a minimum of five years supervised release.
The charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm are punishable by up to ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
The Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force was created in 2005 and is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies including Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Boise Police Department; Caldwell Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; Meridian Police Department; Nampa Police Department; and Idaho Department of Correction. The Task Force conducts complex, long-term investigations of criminal gangs.
These cases are being prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership, the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration in creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit treasurevalleypartners.org.
An indictment is a means of charging a person with criminal activity. It is not evidence. A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Doctor Sentenced to 7 Months in Federal Prison for Receipt and Delivery of Misbranded DevicesRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Temp Ray Patterson, MD, 55, formerly of Burley, Idaho, was sentenced to seven months in prison for receipt and delivery of misbranded devices, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Patterson to serve one year of supervised release following his incarceration, and to pay restitution of $8,200 and a fine of $10,000.
According to court records, from March 2014 through April 2015, Patterson knowingly implanted in patients nine pairs of misbranded breast implants that were not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The breast implants were shipped to the defendant from China.
Patterson provided brochures, handouts, pre-operative worksheets, and sample sizers that misled his patients into believing that they would receive FDA-approved implants, when they did not. For example, on February 27, 2015, Patterson implanted in a patient a misbranded pair of implants from China. Before and after the surgery, Patterson gave the patient labeling for FDA-approved implants, telling her that she received a certain brand of FDA-approved implants. To support this, Patterson sent the patient emails with pictures of the boxes and serial numbers of FDA-approved implants, falsely claiming that was what he implanted in her body. In addition, Patterson changed the patient’s medical records to show that she received a different size implant than was actually used. Patterson changed the size to match the sizing of the FDA-approved implants he told the patient he used.
“Members of the community trust their medical providers to use FDA-approved products,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “Doctors who choose to mislead their patients and use unapproved products will be prosecuted. I commend the efforts of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations for their work.”
“U.S. consumers rely on the FDA to ensure that medical devices, including breast implants, are safe and effective. They also rely on their doctors to properly identify the devices they are using,” said Special Agent in Charge Lisa L. Malinowski, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “When medical professionals attempt to put profits above their concern for their patients, we will investigate and bring them to justice.”
This case was investigated by Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations with the assistance of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
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Horseshoe Bend Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
BOISE – Lois Soito, 60, of Horseshoe Bend, Idaho, pled guilty today to two counts of wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Sentencing for Soito is set for February 21, 2020, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Boise.
According to court records, for 22 years, Soito worked in the accounts receivable department for the Saint Alphonsus Health System (SAHS) in Boise. In her job, Soito had access to money raised at the Festival of Trees. Beginning in January 2005, Soito kept checks intended for SAHS instead of depositing them in the appropriate account. She then fraudulently deposited some of the checks into a bank account used to reimburse SAHS vendors. From that account, Soito wrote checks payable to herself and deposited them into a credit union account she controlled. Soito also used some of the checks that she kept to conceal her theft of funds from the Festival of Trees. Soito used similar methods with other SAHS accounts to embezzle additional funds. Because Soito’s fraudulent scheme caused the interstate transmission of wires, she was charged federally with wire fraud.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As part of her guilty pleas, Soito agreed to pay restitution of at least $1,483,963.82 to SAHS.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Boise Police Department.
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Former Boise Resident Sentenced for Federal Program TheftRead the Press Release
BOISE – Szilvia Rideg, 40, formerly of Boise, was sentenced to five years’ probation for the felony offense of federal program theft, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Rideg’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Boise. Before sentencing, Rideg paid $44,311.04 in restitution plus a $100 special assessment.
According to court records, from 2015 to 2018, Rideg worked as the executive director for the Idaho Veterans Research and Education Foundation (“Foundation”). The Foundation is a Veterans Affairs Nonprofit Research and Education Corporation located in Boise. Its purpose is to support research and education at the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
From 2016 to 2018, Rideg used the Foundation’s credit card to make unauthorized charges at stores such as Macy’s, Victoria’s Secret, Fred Meyer, Starbucks, Target, Sunglass Hut, and Graeber & Company salon. In March 2018, Rideg used the credit card to pay for over $1,000 at the Hilton San Diego resort for herself and two children. In September 2016, she used the credit card to buy plane tickets for her two children to fly to Washington, D.C. To conceal these illegal charges, Rideg paid the credit card charges from the Foundation’s checking account and altered the Foundation’s checking account statements. Rideg misapplied over $44,000 belonging to the Foundation.
The case was investigated by Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Because the Foundation received over $10,000 in federal money, and Rideg misapplied more than $5,000, federal criminal charges were filed against Rideg.
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Attorney General Announces Launch of Project Guardian – A Nationwide Strategic Plan to Reduce Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
BOISE – Today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Project Guardian, a new initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country. Specifically, Project Guardian focuses on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes.
Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Department of Justice’s highest priorities. In order to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety, the Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies to curb gun violence. Project Guardian draws on the Department’s earlier achievements, such as the “Triggerlock” program, and it serves as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In addition, the initiative emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
“Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America. Today, the Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Building on the success of past programs like Triggerlock, Project Guardian will strengthen our efforts to reduce gun violence by allowing the federal government and our state and local partners to better target offenders who use guns in crimes and those who try to buy guns illegally.”
“Reducing gun violence is of paramount importance to me and the dedicated professionals in my office,” said U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis. “This new program will complement our robust Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which has removed countless repeat, violent offenders from our streets. Guardian’s expansion to include enforcing background check systems, improving information sharing, and coordinating responses to mental health denials will ensure that far fewer Idahoans will feel the pain and loss of gun violence.”
“ATF has a long history of strong partnerships in the law enforcement community,” said Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Make no mistake, the women and men of ATF remain steadfast to our core mission of getting crime guns off of our streets. ATF and U.S. Attorneys nationwide will leverage these partnerships even further through enhanced community outreach initiatives and coordination with local, state, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to cut the pipeline of crime guns from those violent individuals who seek to terrorize our communities. Project Guardian will enhance ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence, to include identifying, investigating and prosecuting those involved in the straw purchases of firearms, lying on federal firearms transaction forms, and those subject to the mental health prohibition of possessing firearms.”
Project Guardian’s implementation is based on five principles:
- Coordinated Prosecution. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement will coordinate with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to consider potential federal prosecution for new cases involving a defendant who: a) was arrested in possession of a firearm; b) is believed to have used a firearm in committing a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime prosecutable in federal court; or c) is suspected of actively committing violent crime(s) in the community on behalf of a criminal organization.
- Enforcing the Background Check System. United States Attorneys, in consultation with the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in their district, will create new, or review existing, guidelines for intake and prosecution of federal cases involving false statements (including lie-and-try, lie-and-buy, and straw purchasers) made during the acquisition or attempted acquisition of firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees.
Particular emphasis is placed on individuals convicted of violent felonies or misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, individuals subject to protective orders, and individuals who are fugitives where the underlying offense is a felony or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; individuals suspected of involvement in criminal organizations or of providing firearms to criminal organizations; and individuals involved in repeat denials.
- Improved Information Sharing. On a regular basis, and as often as practicable given current technical limitations, ATF will provide to state law enforcement fusion centers a report listing individuals for whom the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has issued denials, including the basis for the denial, so that state and local law enforcement can take appropriate steps under their laws.
- Coordinated Response to Mental Health Denials. Each United States Attorney will ensure that whenever there is federal case information regarding individuals who are prohibited from possessing a firearm under the mental health prohibition, such information continues to be entered timely and accurately into the United States Attorneys’ Offices’ case-management system for prompt submission to NICS. ATF should engage in additional outreach to state and local law enforcement on how to use this denial information to better assure public safety.
Additionally, United States Attorneys will consult with relevant district stakeholders to assess feasibility of adopting disruption of early engagement programs to address mental-health-prohibited individuals who attempt to acquire a firearm. United States Attorneys should consider, when appropriate, recommending court-ordered mental health treatment for any sentences issued to individuals prohibited based on mental health.
- Crime Gun Intelligence Coordination. Federal, state, local, and tribal prosecutors and law enforcement will work together to ensure effective use of the ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGICs), and all related resources, to maximize the use of modern intelligence tools and technology. These tools can greatly enhance the speed and effectiveness in identifying trigger-pullers and finding their guns, but the success depends in large part on state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners sharing ballistic evidence and firearm recovery data with the ATF.
Federal law enforcement represents only about 15% of all law enforcement resources nationwide. Therefore, partnerships with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the communities they serve are critical to addressing gun crime. The Department recognizes that sharing information with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners at every level will enhance public safety, and provide a greater depth of resources available to address gun crime on a national level.
For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.
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- Coordinated Prosecution. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement will coordinate with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to consider potential federal prosecution for new cases involving a defendant who: a) was arrested in possession of a firearm; b) is believed to have used a firearm in committing a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime prosecutable in federal court; or c) is suspected of actively committing violent crime(s) in the community on behalf of a criminal organization.
Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to Fifteen Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE - Juan Frausto-Bedolla, 29, of Tijuana, Mexico, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to fifteen years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Frausto-Bedolla was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye. Frausto-Bedolla pled guilty to the offense on December 7, 2018.
According to court records, between May 2016 and August 2017, Frausto-Bedolla conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Idaho with several other codefendants. Frausto-Bedolla secured methamphetamine from out-of-state sources and brought it into Idaho for further distribution.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration and Idaho State Police.
This indictment is the result of a joint investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Program participants include the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and the U.S. Marshals Service.
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Meridian Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BOISE – Brian Cade Humphreys, 46, of Meridian, Idaho, was sentenced last week to fourteen years in federal prison followed by ten years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Humphreys was sentenced by U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill. A federal grand jury indicted Humphreys on July 11, 2018.
According to court records, law enforcement used a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from Humphreys on four separate occasions. Humphreys has a lengthy criminal history that includes a prior crime of violence and a drug trafficking offense. Because of Humphreys’ lengthy criminal history, the court determined Humphreys to be a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines. This resulted in Humphreys receiving a higher prison sentence.
This case was investigated by Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of federal, state and local agencies, including Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Department of Homeland Security; Boise Police Department; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Caldwell Police Department; Nampa Police Department; Meridian Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; and Idaho Department of Probation and Parole.
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Boise Septuagenarian Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE – Clinton DeWitt Bays, Jr., 77, of Boise, pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Pursuant to a written plea agreement filed with the Court, Bays pleaded guilty to distributing more than fifty grams of actual methamphetamine.
According to court records, while out on bond on state court charges for drug trafficking and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, Bays sold four ounces of methamphetamine to an undercover officer.
Bays faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of at least ten years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
Sentencing for Bays is set for February 19, 2020, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Boise. Bays remains in-custody pending sentencing.
The case was a result of a joint investigation by the Boise and Meridian Police Departments and the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), includes the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
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U.S. Attorney Encourages Idahoans to Participate in DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day This SaturdayRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis will join the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on October 26th in support of the 18th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The biannual event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at thousands of collection sites around the country, including 38 here in Idaho. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
“The widespread prevalence of unused prescription medication is a significant contributor to drug abuse and addiction,” stated U.S. Attorney Davis. “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides an actionable way to rid opioids and other medicines from our nation’s homes. I urge Idahoans to do their part to combat this crisis by going to a collection site and safely disposing of unused, expired, and dangerous prescription medication.”
Starting with this October’s campaign, DEA will now accept vaping devices and cartridges–in addition to tablets, capsules, patches, and other medications in solid forms–at any of its drop off locations. DEA is doing all it can to help dispose safely of vaping devices and liquids to get these products off our streets and out of the hands of children.
Last April, 469 tons (937,443 pounds) of prescription drugs were turned in, more than twice the weight of the Statue of Liberty. Nearly 5,000 local and tribal law enforcement partners signed up to operate close to 6,300 collection sites around the nation. Overall, in its 17 previous Take Back Day events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 11 million pounds—almost 6,000 tons—of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications. The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. The initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse.
For more information or to locate a collection site near you, go the DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day web site at www.DEATakeBack.com where you can search by zip code, city, or state.
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Fort Hall Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Stormy Ray Adakai, 24, of Fort Hall, Idaho, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Adakai was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pocatello on November 27, 2018. Sentencing for Adakai is set for January 22, 2020, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
According to court records, on September 2, 2018, at approximately 3:02 a.m., the Fort Hall Police were notified of a truck driver who had been assaulted while inside his semi-truck parked near the TP Gas Station on Ross Fork Road, in the area of the Fort Hall Casino, on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. The victim told police that, while he was asleep in his truck’s cab, an unknown male, later identified as Adakai, broke into the cab and assaulted him. Adakai demanded money and struck the victim repeatedly with rocks. As a result of the assault, the victim suffered a broken nose, a broken orbital (eye) bone, and a brain hemorrhage. The victim also had seizures as a result of the brain hemorrhage.
A witness identified Adakai as the assailant. Investigators then interviewed Adakai. Adakai admitted assaulting the victim, using rocks to beat the victim. He stated that he was intoxicated and wanted money from the victim.
The charge of assault resulting in serious bodily injury is punishable by up to ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Hall Police Department.
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Federal Jury Convicts Twin Falls Man of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Bart Davis announced today that a federal jury sitting in Boise returned guilty verdicts on October 18, 2019, against Seth Anthony Johnson, 35, of Twin Falls, Idaho, on charges that he sexually exploited an 8-year-old child by using her to produce sexually explicit images. The jury also found Johnson guilty of possessing child pornography and sexually exploiting an 8-year-old girl while required to register as a sex offender under federal and state law. The trial began on October 15 and concluded Friday afternoon when the jury returned their verdicts. The case was tried before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye.
According to court records, Johnson was arrested on November 29, 2017. At that time, federal agents discovered six images of child pornography on his cell phone. After eight months of investigation, agents identified the minor victim as an eight-year-old girl. Agents also determined that Johnson had produced the images of child pornography with his cell phone. At the time that he did so, Johnson was required to register as a sex offender under federal and state law due to a prior rape conviction.
The charge of sexual exploitation of a child carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and at least 5 years and up to lifetime of supervised release. For being a registered sex offender at the time he exploited the child, Johnson also faces a consecutive mandatory penalty of 10 years imprisonment, which must be served consecutively to any other term of imprisonment.
Sentencing is set for February 19, 2020, before Judge Nye at the federal courthouse in Boise.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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U.S. Attorney Announces Office Collects over $2.3 MillionRead the Press Release
BOISE – United States Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today that his office’s Financial Litigation Unit collected more than $1.6 million in criminal restitution, fines, and assessments and in civil debts for the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2019. In some cases, the U.S. Attorney’s Office worked in conjunction with litigating components of the U.S. Department of Justice. Of the total collected, approximately $1.3 million were criminal restitution, fines, and/or assessments, and approximately $325,179 were civil debts. In addition, the Asset Forfeiture Unit collected approximately $721,211 in proceeds and instruments of crime in criminal and civil forfeiture actions.
“Our collection and asset forfeiture staff of attorneys, paralegals, analysts, and fiscal agents ensure that those who have caused loss to victims pay those victims back and ensure that those who have profited from committing crimes in the District of Idaho are deprived of the proceeds and tools of their crimes,” said Davis. “These same folks also ensure that those who owe the federal government money, as a result of litigation in this District or as a result of longtime debt, make appropriate payments. This year, all of these dedicated individuals have done outstanding work and served this office, the taxpayers, and this community well.”
Victims of crime receive funds collected in criminal restitution cases. In fiscal year 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, through the Financial Litigation Unit, collected over $1.168 million in criminal restitution that was or will be distributed to victims of crime. Other criminal collections such as fines go into the Crime Victims Fund. From there, funds are distributed to the Idaho Crime Victims Compensation Program, the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance, and similar programs across the country. Money recovered from the illegal proceeds of criminal activity through forfeiture is returned to victims, used to offset the costs of operating federal prisons, and shared with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to help fight crime. Other recoveries go back to agency creditors.
During the fiscal year, some notable criminal restitution collections include approximately $150,600 paid by the defendant in a child pornography case and over $77,366 and $55,372 recovered from real estate sales and refinances to pay fraud restitution in two separate cases. In addition, over $24,382 was collected from the sale of a home in a child exploitation case to pay restitution. The Treasury Offset Program helped collected almost $200,000 toward restitution and fine debt.
Forfeitures valued at approximately $721,211 included currency, vehicles, and real property related to trafficking in controlled substances, fraud, child exploitation, and other serious crimes. Forfeitures also included approximately 146 firearms used or possessed during criminal activities. Forfeited firearms typically are destroyed, to prevent their use in future crimes. In some cases, the United States shared, or will share, seized money and property with local investigating agencies. In victim cases, the U.S. Attorney’s Office works to direct proceeds of forfeiture to crime victims.
As for civil debts and penalties, the Financial Litigation Unit collects civil penalties for violations of regulations involving, among other things, controlled substances, environmental protection, damage to federal property, and procurement fraud. It also collects civil debts for defaulted loans.
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Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis joins the Department of Justice in announcing it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
Two Tribes in the District of Idaho, the Coeur d’Alene and the Shoshone-Bannock, were awarded over $4.2 million in funding. The Coeur d’Alene Tribe received $2,019,213 and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes received $2,278,781. The tribes will use these funds to enhance law enforcement, combat domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sex trafficking, bolster justice systems, prevent and control juvenile delinquency, strengthen the juvenile justice system, serve sexual assault and elder victims, and support other efforts to address crime.
“The Department of Justice and my office are committed to improving public safety and serving crime victims in our tribal communities,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “This increase in resources, together with aggressive federal and tribal investigations, will help strengthen Idaho tribal communities for years to come.”
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: justice.gov/tribal/awards.
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Salt Lake City Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Francis R. Casildo, 36, of Salt Lake City, Utah, was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Casildo to serve five years of supervised release once he has completed his prison term.
According to court records, on or about March 12 and March 26, 2018, Casildo traveled to Pocatello, Idaho and distributed methamphetamine. On April 2, 2018, Casildo facilitated a third distribution of methamphetamine. As a result, Casildo caused 206.35 grams of pure methamphetamine to be distributed in Idaho. After a three-day trial earlier this year, Casildo was found guilty on all charged counts.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Idaho State Police, Bannock County Sherriff’s Office, Pocatello Police Department, Blackfoot Police Department, and the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office.
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Employee Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement and False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE - Jamie Gillette, 53, of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Pursuant to a written plea agreement filed with the Court, Gillette waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a two-count criminal information filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
According to court records, from in or about 2011 through in or about 2015, Gillette devised a scheme to defraud, and to misappropriate without authority, money and property belonging to her employer, Bendable Bright Light, Inc. (“BBL”). Specifically, Gillette had access to BBL’s business bank account at Mountain West Bank, both as signor on the account and through the online payment portal. Using this access, Gillette issued checks from BBL’s account to her personal bank account at Navy Federal Credit Union, and made online payments from BBL’s account for personal expenses associated with her accounts, without the knowledge or authorization of BBL. On this occasion, and on multiple other occasions, Gillette acted with the intent to cheat or deceive BBL by misappropriating for her use money that belonged to BBL. The total amount of money that Gillette misappropriated will be determined at her sentencing hearing.
According to court records, on or about April 7, 2014, Gillette electronically signed and filed a Form 1040 federal income tax return for the calendar year 2013 that she knew contained false information as to a material matter. Specifically, on Line 22 “Total Income,” she reported that her taxable income for the calendar year 2013 was $8,003, when she knew that her taxable income was much greater.
According to court records, on August 30, 2017, law enforcement agents interviewed Gillette. She stated that she was a paid employee of BBL and earned approximately $65,000 per year. Gillette admitted that she did not pay taxes on all the income she received from BBL in 2011 through 2015.
For the wire fraud count, Gillette faces a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release.
For the false tax return count, Gillette faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years, a $100,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release.
Sentencing for Gillette is set for January 15, 2020, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Coeur D’Alene.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division.
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Moscow Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Robert M. Wisdom, 36, of Moscow, Idaho, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 63 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered that Wisdom be placed on supervised release for five years following his prison sentence. As a result of his conviction, Wisdom will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court records, in December 2016, a Moscow Police Department detective became aware that a computer at Wisdom’s residence in Moscow was making child pornography available on a peer-to-peer network. In the ensuing months, the detective obtained child pornography downloads from Wisdom’s computer. In February 2017, the Moscow Police Department executed a state search warrant at Wisdom’s residence, where they seized Wisdom’s computers and hard drives. They later found on these devices over 200 videos and 2,000 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by the Moscow Police Department with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Latah County Sheriff’s Office. All are members of the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis Announces Progress in Making Our Communities Safer through Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
BOISE – Two years ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the department’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Throughout the past two years, we have partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. According to FBI’s 2018 Crime in the United States Report released this week, the violent crime rate decreased for the second consecutive year, down 3.9 percent from the 2017 numbers.
“The revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods program is a major success,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “It packs a powerful punch by combining advanced data with local leadership, further reducing violence in communities across the country and improving overall public safety. U.S. Attorneys continue to focus their enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals and work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal police. The Justice Department’s relationships across the board have never been stronger.”
“State, local, tribal, and federal partners’ cooperation has been vital to the successful implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods in Idaho,” said U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis. “Through these combined efforts, many violent and dangerous offenders have been removed from our streets. And we are not done! Every day, these partners work to reduce violent crime across all of Idaho.”
As we celebrate the two-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions:
Enforcement Actions
Idaho’s PSN Task Force is working together with state and local partners to seek out serious offenders that pose a risk to the community. In 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office increased its prosecution of violent offenders by nearly 30 percent. The following cases exemplify some of the work accomplished by PSN.
- Kuna Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Gun Crimes.
- Garden City Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug Crimes
- Drug and Sawed Off Shotgun Dealer Sentenced to 78 Months
Improvements to Community Safety
- For the second consecutive year, the estimated number of violent crimes in the nation decreased when compared with the previous year’s statistics, according to FBI figures released today. In 2018, the number of violent crimes was down 3.3 percent from the 2017 number.
- The 2018 national statistics show the estimated rate of violent crime was 368.9 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants. The violent crime rate fell 3.9 percent when compared with the 2017 rate. While Idaho had an increase of 1.95 percent in 2018, Idaho has the lowest violent crime rate among the Western region and the sixth-lowest in the country. Further, in 2018, Idaho experienced a 0.8 percent decrease in aggravated assault offenses, which accounts for 72.4 percent of the violent crime in Idaho.
These enforcement actions and partnerships are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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