District of Idaho
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Ketchum Man Sentenced to 20 years in Federal Prison for Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOISE – Sebastian Hanks, 22, of Ketchum, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, the investigation began when the FBI became aware that Hanks was attempting to access child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on the internet. The FBI obtained a federal search warrant to seize and search Hanks’ electronic devices. During a forensic examination of Hanks’ cellphone and tablet, the FBI located numerous files of CSAM, including depictions of prepubescent children being sexually abused by adults. The FBI determined that Hanks had obtained some of the CSAM files from the dark web. The FBI also located approximately 200 images of juvenile females wearing clothing such as swimsuits and leotards. Several of the images show the juveniles in sexually suggestive positions or with the focus on their genitals. Hanks’ tablet contained over 100 graphic fictional stories about adults sexually abusing children. The FBI also found explicit images of two prepubescent children. The investigation revealed that Hanks had taken the photographs of the prepubescent children while he was babysitting them.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Hanks to serve 20 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $38,150.76 in restitution to victims in the images he produced and possessed. Hanks will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
“The defendant’s crimes are hard to fathom and painful to describe,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “He not only exploited children by obtaining awful child pornography images, but he also produced images of children he was trusted to care for. The lengthy sentence in this case is necessary for public safety, and I am grateful to the investigators, prosecutors, and victim advocates who achieved justice. This case reflects our commitment to partner with law enforcement in all parts of Idaho to protect our children.”
“This sentence represents the hard work of our multijurisdictional team of investigators and prosecutors,” said Attorney General Raúl Labrador. “I’m grateful for the continued commitment of every participating agency to keep our kids safe from abuse and exploitation, and for the courts that recognize the seriousness of these crimes.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the FBI, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, and the Blaine County Prosecutor’s Office, which led to the charges. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kassandra McGrady and Erin Blackadar.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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 better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Nampa Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOISE – Juan Victor Granados, Jr., 45, of Nampa, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, in 2010 Granados was convicted in federal court for possession of sexually explicit images of minors. In that case he received a 120-month sentence followed by 15 years of supervised release. In April 2019, Granados began his term of supervised release in the District of Idaho. In January 2024, officers with U.S. Probation and the Nampa Police Department conducted a compliance check of Granados’ residence, where they discovered numerous unapproved electronic devices, including micro-SD cards. Homeland Security Investigations conducted a forensic examination on three micro-SD cards and discovered thousands of images of child sexual abuse material, including depictions of sadistic and masochistic sexual abuse of children under 12.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Granados to serve a lifetime of supervised release following his prison sentence and ordered him to pay $6,000 in restitution to two victims in the images he possessed. Granados will be required to continue to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
“The defendant’s conduct fully justifies another lengthy sentence in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We are fortunate to work with law enforcement agencies at the federal and local levels who partner seamlessly to ensure that dangerous individuals like this defendant are removed from our communities when necessary.”
“It’s very unfortunate that Mr. Granados did not learn his lesson from his previous prison time. His actions in our community are repulsive and cannot be tolerated,” said Joe Huff, Nampa Police Chief. “I am pleased he will be serving his time in the federal prison system once again because he won’t be released early. I hope all of his victims will receive the help they need.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Nampa Police Department, and U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin C. Blackadar prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Spokane Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Joshua Alan Berg, 47, of Spokane, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. U.S. District Court Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered that upon completion of his prison sentence, Berg be required to complete four years of supervised release.
According to court records, on February 8, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to an overdose incident in St. Regis, Montana. During that investigation Berg was identified as a person with knowledge about the incident and other agencies in the surrounding area were notified to be on the lookout for him. Officers in Shoshone County, Idaho, identified Berg shortly thereafter and attempted to stop the vehicle he was driving. Berg led officers on a high-speed pursuit, crashed his vehicle into a snowbank and fled on foot. Officers continued their pursuit and eventually arrested Berg near the abandoned vehicle. Berg possessed approximately a pound and a half of methamphetamine and a half pound of fentanyl pills when arrested, and discarded a firearm he had been carrying while officers were pursuing him. The firearm was located and retrieved by officers.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement agencies in Mineral County, Montana, and the North Idaho Narcotics Enforcement (NINE) Taskforce, which led to the charges.
The NINE Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional group of law enforcement officers working together to target drug trafficking in North Idaho. The task force is comprised of agents and officers from the Idaho State Police, Coeur d’Alene Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Border Patrol, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the National Guard Counter Drug Program.
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Jerome Man Convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Jason Earl Wright, 49, of Jerome, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Wright was involved in a drug trafficking organization spanning Idaho and Oregon, though his conduct was limited to the Idaho arm of this organization. Wright was found with a total of more than one and a quarter pounds of methamphetamine, two firearms, and a small amount of cocaine between the dates of June 28, 2023 and February 7, 2024. When he was arrested after his federal indictment, he was in possession of a loaded handgun, two loaded magazines, more than an ounce of methamphetamine, two cell phones, two scales, small plastic baggies, and two drug ledgers.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Wright to pay a $500 fine and to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nampa Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the Meridian Police Department, the Boise Police Department, the Oregon State Police High Desert Drug Task Force, and the U.S. Marshals Service, which led to the charges and arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Chong prosecuted this case.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position.
The High Desert Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. They are supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
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Eastern Idaho Attorney Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Robin Dwain Dunn, 69, of Rigby, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy in Eastern Idaho. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Dunn to pay a $50,000 fine and to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Court records indicate that from June 2022 to February 2023, Dunn—an attorney practicing in Eastern Idaho—agreed with clients and others to distribute controlled substances. During the conspiracy, Dunn and a client made two trips to the Salt Lake City area to pick up methamphetamine and fentanyl. Dunn and the client then brought the drugs back to Idaho for distribution to others.
Court records further indicated that in November 2022, Dunn caused fentanyl to be distributed into a correctional facility (the Bonneville County Jail) to an inmate client. Dunn agreed that he abused a position of trust by using his position as an attorney to further his drug trafficking activities.
“This is a disturbing case in which at attorney endangered his community and jeopardized the integrity of the criminal justice system by distributing deadly drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Upholding the rule of law means investigating crimes where they should be least expected to occur and holding everyone to the same standards, especially professionals who took an oath to uphold the law. My office is lucky to have law enforcement partners who feel the same way.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners work hard to hold people accountable for drug trafficking offenses, regardless of their jobs or backgrounds,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “I am proud of the work our team has done in this case and grateful for the strong message this sentence sends to others who would violate the ethical standards of our society.”
“Teamwork is the cornerstone of successful law enforcement, and this case exemplifies what can be achieved when multiple agencies work together,” said Lieutenant Clint Skinner, Idaho State Police. “By leveraging the expertise and resources of local, state, and federal partners, we were able to dismantle a dangerous drug network and hold those responsible accountable.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Idaho Falls Police Department, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Idaho State Police for their work and collaboration on this case.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Zebari and Christopher Atwood.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Oregon Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOISE – Hein Fourie, 26, of Adrian, Oregon, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, an investigation began when a citizen reported to law enforcement that Fourie had child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cellphone. The citizen provided law enforcement with two cellphones belonging to Fourie. Law enforcement examined the cellphones pursuant to a search warrant and located over 300 files of CSAM on each cellphone. During an interview, Fourie admitted to receiving CSAM on cellphones that he had possessed while temporarily residing in Idaho.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Fourie to five years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $15,000 in restitution to victims in the images he possessed. Fourie will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
“We are grateful to the concerned citizen who alerted law enforcement to this defendant’s possession of CSAM,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “And we are grateful to our law enforcement partners who worked together to help us bring this case. We continue to do everything in our power to bring to justice those who victimize children.”
“Reporting child predators, anywhere they may be found, gives our agents an advantage in the fight against CSAM," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. "Quite simply, if you see something, say something. Every report matters, and with community involvement our law enforcement partnerships can protect those who need it the most.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Wilder Police Department, and the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kassandra McGrady prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Three Big Game Guides Indicted for Conspiracy and Lacey Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – A federal grand jury sitting in Pocatello returned a thirteen-count indictment on August 27, 2024, charging Chad Michael Kulow, 44, and Andrea May Major, 44, both of Kuna, Idaho, along with LaVoy Linton Eborn, 47, of Paris, Idaho, with conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and additional Lacey Act violations, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
In connection with illegal big game outfitting and guiding, Kulow was indicted on twelve counts including one felony count of conspiracy and eleven counts of felony Lacey Act violations. Major was indicted on seven counts including one felony count of conspiracy and six felony Lacey Act violations. Eborn was indicted on eight counts including one felony count of conspiracy and seven counts of felony Lacey Act violations.
The thirteen-count indictment returned on August 27, 2024, alleges that in late 2021, Kulow, Major, and Eborn were licensed guides in the State of Idaho, employed by a licensed outfitter. During late 2021, Kulow, Major, and Eborn conspired together to commit Lacey Act violations, when they began illegally acting in the capacity of outfitters, by independently booking mountain lion hunting clients, accepting direct payment, and guiding hunts in southeast Idaho and Wyoming, outside of the licensed and federally permitted outfitting service for which they worked. Between December 2021 and February 2022, the defendants unlawfully sold hunts and carried out guiding activities on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in southeast Idaho and the Bridger-Teton National Forest in western Wyoming. The illegally guided hunts resulted in the kills of at least eleven mountain lions in Idaho, and a Boone and Crockett record mountain lion in western Wyoming. Several Big Game Mortality Reports were falsely submitted to Idaho Fish and Game with inaccurate outfitter business information, and at least three mountain lions were shipped directly to Texas, without having been presented to Idaho Fish and Game for completion of the required Big Game Mortality Reports. Mountain lions killed during the hunts were transported from National Forest land, to or from Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, Texas, and North Carolina, in violation of the federal Lacey Act and multiple Idaho state laws.
Kulow and Major were both arrested on September 24, 2024, and booked with the U.S. Marshals Service in Boise. Eborn was arrested on September 25, 2024, and booked with the U.S. Marshals Service in Pocatello. Major attended her initial court appearance on September 26, 2024, Kulow attended his initial court appearance on September 27, 2024, and Eborn attended his initial court appearance on September 30, 2024. All three defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Debora K. Grasham and entered not guilty pleas. A jury trial is scheduled for November 18, 2024, at the federal courthouse in Pocatello, before Senior U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill.
The alleged Lacey Act violations are punishable by up to five years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and the U.S. Forest Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett is prosecuting this case.
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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Two Businesses and Their Owner Consent to an $850,000 Judgment to Resolve COVID-19 Relief Fraud AllegationsRead the Press Release
BOISE– Brett Deuter and his businesses, Deuter Construction, LLC, and Enlighten, LLC, consented to an $850,000 judgment against them in United States District Court after admitting to violations of the False Claims Act, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced.
The fraud perpetrated by Deuter involved misappropriating funds from two different COVID-19 Relief Programs: the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
In the consent judgment, Deuter admitted that Deuter Construction no longer had employees or operations at the time that it applied for PPP funds. Deuter further admitted that the recipient of the PPP funds – Enlighten, LLC – was ineligible to receive funds because it was not in operation prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Deuter also admitted to falsely stating the PPP loan was exclusively used for payroll and other covered expenses when, in fact, some of the funds were used to cover Deuter’s personal expenses, including personal credit card debt and gambling expenses in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Additionally, Deuter admitted to recklessly making false statements in an application for EIDL funds. Deuter falsely claimed that the EIDL funds would be used as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the pandemic. Instead, Deuter used the EIDL funds to pay personal and business debts incurred before the pandemic started. Deuter also admitted that EIDL funds were used to purchase real property in Hailey, Idaho.
“Fighting COVID-19 relief fraud has been, and will continue to be, a priority for my office,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will continue to bring to justice those individuals and companies who seek to obtain taxpayer funds through fraudulent schemes or illegal practices.”
This judgment includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Stuart Hallam. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Mr. Hallam will receive approximately $161,500 as his share of the total settlement.
“This outcome demonstrates our unwavering commitment to ensuring relief funds provided through the PPP and EIDL programs are used for their intended purposes,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “The unauthorized use of these funds for personal expenditures undermines the integrity of these programs. The whistleblower award serves as a tool to bring more whistleblowers forward. This result would not have been possible without the qui tam relator and the hard work of our dedicated law enforcement partners.”
This matter was investigated jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wertheim handled this case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For additional case information and publicly available court documents, see United State ex rel. Stuart Hallam v. Brett Deuter, et. al., 1:23-CV-00348 (U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho).
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud Related to Stolen U.S. Treasury ChecksRead the Press Release
BOISE – Brendon McCormick, 31, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, in May 2023, McCormick engaged in a fraud scheme by obtaining two stolen U.S. Department of Treasury checks issued to a California nonprofit. The checks were in the amount of $161,966.49 and $189,957.49 for a total of $351,923.98. At approximately the same time, McCormick obtained (1) a business entity registration with the Idaho Secretary of State using the name of the California nonprofit, and (2) an apparent Internal Revenue Service Employer Identification Number (EIN) in the name of the California nonprofit.
Using this information, McCormick fraudulently opened a business checking account at a bank in Idaho under the name of the California nonprofit. In June 2023, McCormick then deposited the stolen U.S. Department of Treasury checks into the newly opened bank account to use for his personal benefit.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced McCormick to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. McCormick pleaded guilty to the charge on July 8, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the United States Secret Service and the Boise Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol prosecuted the case.
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Combined Federal and State Investigation Leads to Arrests in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOISE – A large-scale Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation has resulted in the federal indictments of ten Magic Valley defendants on drug trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. An additional ten defendants have been charged in Idaho state courts for their actions connected to the conspiracy.
“This investigation is the result of outstanding partnerships and teamwork between local law enforcement in the Magic Valley, the Idaho State Police, and the DEA,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am grateful for the trust they have placed in my office to work hand-in-hand with them to keep their communities safe.”
According to the indictments, the defendants possessed and distributed large quantities of methamphetamine throughout the Magic Valley area. During these investigations and arrests, federal and state law enforcement officers seized over 30 pounds of methamphetamine. According to court records, it is alleged that several of these individuals traveled to Arizona and California to obtain methamphetamine that they brought back to Idaho for distribution.
As part of this OCDETF investigation, the following individuals have been charged with federal drug violations:
- Oscar Alejandro Perez-Gomez, 32, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, five counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Patrick Delacruz, 40, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Leonardo Espinoza-Romero, 31, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
- Daniel D. Thomas, 47, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine;
- Artemio Morgan Hurtado, Jr., 34, of Shoshone, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and the use of a communication facility to commit or facilitate a felony;
- Luis Enrique Gonzalez, 40, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Jesus Arturo Torres-Herrera, 36, of Twin Falls, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Raquel May, 28, of Twin Falls was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Robert Troglia, 52, of Jerome, was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine;
- Liliana Morales-Caliz, 34, of Jerome, was indicted for four counts of distribution of methamphetamine;
The investigation also included ten other defendants who were charged in state prosecutions for possession of controlled substances, trafficking in methamphetamine, and other crimes.
Federal drug distribution charges carry mandatory minimum prison sentences depending on the amount and type of drugs distributed. Maximum prison sentences range from up to 20 years to life in federal prison.
“DEA stands with our partners in the Idaho State Police and law enforcement around the state to stop criminals and hold them accountable,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The Magic Valley is safer today because of our cooperative efforts.”
“We are proud the State of Idaho works so well with our federal partners to protect the public,” said Governor Brad Little. “The goal of our Operation Esto Perpetua initiative is to equip law enforcement with the training and tools they need to keep Idaho safe. Today’s announcement about the federal indictment of drug traffickers demonstrates what Idaho is doing is working.”
“The successful investigation and prosecution of this case was the result of relentless dedication, collaboration, and teamwork,” said Colonel Bill Gardiner, Director of ISP. “By working with numerous local jurisdictions and federal agencies, resources were leveraged, intelligence was shared, and criminals were brought to justice. These unified efforts are crucial to ongoing efforts to keep communities safe from the devastating impacts of drug trafficking and should give residents a sense of security and protection.”
The cases were primarily investigated by the Idaho State Police and Drug Enforcement Administration. In addition to the work of these agencies, U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the following agencies for assisting in the investigations and arrests of the above-named individuals: Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, Twin Falls Police Department, Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Jerome Police Department, Jerome County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Cassia County Sheriff’s Office, Cassia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office, Minidoka County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Booker and Francis Zebari are prosecuting these cases.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit expressed his gratitude to all the law enforcement agencies and prosecutors for their hard work and the strong teamwork that is achieving justice.
An indictment is merely an allegation or a set of allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
These indictments are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Former Farm Foreman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Extorting H-2A Agricultural Workers and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
BOISE – Ernesto Garza, 62, of Alamo, Texas, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for extorting H-2A agricultural workers and filing a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Garza to three years supervised release and ordered Garza to pay $621,724 in restitution to his many victims.
According to court records, Garza worked as a supervisor and foreman of farm workers at F.D.C., an agricultural services company that operates farms throughout Idaho, including in Glenns Ferry. F.D.C. employs H-2A agricultural workers each year from approximately March to November. While Garza served as supervisor and foreman for the farm, he prepared and submitted payroll timesheets for the H-2A workers, but regularly falsified those timesheets by adding extra hours and then asked the vulnerable workers to return cash to him for the extra hours.
Between at least 2014 and 2019, Garza also charged certain H-2A agricultural workers an unauthorized flat fee to work at F.D.C. under the H-2A program, with the fee ranging from approximately $750 to $2,500. Garza charged the fees without F.D.C.’s knowledge or approval, and the H-2A agricultural workers paid the fees to Garza each year because they feared that they would be fired or not allowed to return to F.D.C. under the H-2A program in future years if they did not pay. Garza was not permitted to request or collect such fees under H-2A agricultural worker rules and regulations.
Between 2013 and 2019, Garza also deposited approximately $493,153 in unreported income into his personal bank accounts, in part, from the extortion described above as well as a separate scheme to defraud the farm. Garza did not disclose the additional income on his tax return for the years 2013 through 2019, which resulted in the filing of false tax returns.
According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services, the H-2A program allows U.S. employers who meet certain requirements to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs that cannot otherwise be filled because there are not enough U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified, and available to do the work.
“Protecting the integrity of the H2-A visa program and ensuring the lawful treatment of workers is important for our agricultural industry, which is a bedrock of Idaho’s economy and way of life,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am grateful for the work of the Idaho State Police, along with the IRS, to hold this defendant accountable. This case should send a clear message that we will not tolerate the exploitation of agricultural workers in Idaho.”
“For several years, Ernesto Garza exploited and extorted H-2A agricultural workers by charging them unlawful fees for personal financial gain. Today's sentencing sends a clear message that those who seek to abuse the H-2A program will be held accountable. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division to aggressively pursue fraud involving foreign labor certification programs,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
“Protecting vulnerable people and communities will always be one of IRS-CI’s top priorities, and we will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute these crimes,” said Tom Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “Ernesto Garza’s sentence is an example of what people who abuse their authority and willfully fail to report all their income can expect as a consequence of their crime.’
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Idaho State Police and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Mazorol and Robert Firpo prosecuted the case.
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Federal Inmate Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – A federal grand jury in Coeur d’Alene returned an indictment today charging Hamza Luay Nijmeh, 39, a federal inmate housed in Forrest City, Arkansas, with Sexual Exploitation of a Child, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Nijmeh was convicted of Distribution of Child Pornography and Receipt of Child Pornography in May 2017. It is alleged in the indictment that between August 2023 and October 2023, while in federal prison in Arkansas, Nijmeh used multiple cellular phones to sexually exploit a child in the District of Idaho.
If convicted, Nijmeh faces a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 50 years in federal prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child. He faces an additional 10 years of consecutive imprisonment for commission of a felony offense involving a minor when required to register as a sex offender. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit made the announcement and commended the work of the Moscow Police Department, the Lewiston Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which led to the charges. The public is encouraged to contact the FBI at 208-746-3440 with any information about this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Idaho Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Separate Sex Crimes Involving Minor ChildrenRead the Press Release
BOISE and POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the outcomes in two separate District of Idaho cases in which the defendants were sentenced to 24 years and over 21 years in federal prison, respectively, for sex crimes against minor children.
“Our prosecutors and victim support staff are second to none when it comes to holding child predators accountable and supporting victims on the path towards healing,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Protecting Idaho’s children is a sacred duty for my office, and we are lucky to work with so many dedicated partners in this mission.”
On September 10, 2024, Nicholas Glenn Baker 37, of Twin Falls, was sentenced to 288 months in federal prison for aiding and abetting the sexual exploitation of a child.
According to court records, on July 17, 2023, detectives with the Idaho Falls Police Department and the Idaho Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force began an investigation after receiving a report that child pornography had been uploaded to an online file storage account. Detectives determined that the account belonged to Rexanna Marie Johnston of Idaho Falls. Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant on Johnston’s residence and electronic devices. Detectives discovered that Johnston had produced images of a child pornography of an infant that was in her custody. Detectives further recovered online chat communications between Johnston and Baker. In those communications Johnston and Baker discussed their sexual interests in children, and child pornography. Johnston also sent Baker child pornography images she had produced of the infant in her custody. Baker then asked for Johnston to produce additional child pornographic images of the infant and send them to him, which she did. (Johnston pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation charges on May 22, 2024, and is awaiting sentencing scheduled for November 19, 2024.) When detectives arrested Baker he admitted that he knew the infant in Johnston’s custody was a real child, that he requested Johnston produce and send him child pornography images of the infant, and that he received those images.
“Our job, as HSI special agents or in working through our many partnerships, is to protect the most vulnerable. This 288 month sentence helps to accomplish that,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Every image of child exploitation represents a life that has been altered by a child predator, and as a community we can be ever more vigilant to reduce the amount of these images that are distributed online.”
“I am continually grateful for the hard work and partnerships that enable us to successfully investigate and prosecute these horrific crimes against children,” said Attorney General Raúl Labrador. “Removing these predators from our neighborhoods is a top priority for all of us and I’m encouraged to see the courts delivering sentences that are commensurate with the crimes.”
“We are proud of the work done in this case by Idaho Falls Police Investigators and grateful for our partnerships with the US Attorney’s Office and the ICAC Taskforce,” said Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson. “This case underscores the important work being done through these partnerships – protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities and seeking justice on their behalf.”
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered that Baker serve a lifetime of supervised release following his prison sentence. Baker will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
In a separate case, Alexis Alatriste, 27, of Nampa, was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child.
According to court records, on January 5, 2024, a citizen reported to the Nampa Police Department that she had found videos on Alatriste’s cellphone of Alatriste sexually abusing the four-year-old victim. Investigators seized and examined Alatriste’s cellphone after obtaining a search warrant. Alatriste had deleted the explicit videos, but investigators recovered the videos using forensic tools. Investigators determined that Alatriste had used his cellphone to record the videos of himself sexually abusing the victim. Investigators also located other files of child pornography on the cellphone.
“This case is an excellent example of the importance of strong partnerships between local and federal agencies. Our teamwork successfully brought this case to a positive resolution, with Mr. Alatriste serving time in prison for this terrible crime. We’ll continue to work together to help protect our community,” said Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Alatriste to be placed on lifetime supervised release after the end of his prison term. Alatriste will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
The Baker case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Falls Police Department, and the Idaho ICAC Task Force. The Alatriste case was investigated by the Nampa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Paskett and Kassandra McGrady prosecuted these cases.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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 better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Highlights Success of Drug Distribution Prosecution Efforts in Northern IdahoRead the Press Release
Three Defendants Sentenced to Over 17 Years in Federal Prison Combined
COEUR D’ALENE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the results of three separate drug distribution cases in Northern Idaho today.
“The case results announced today reflect stellar work by our prosecutors and staff,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Together with our law enforcement partners, our office is rising to meet the challenge that drug trafficking poses to communities in North Idaho. The partnerships that drive these cases will continue to make our state a terrible place for drug dealers to do business.”
- Interstate Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 92 Months in Federal Prison
In one case, Alex Luis Ahumada, 39, of Boardman, Oregon, was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, Ahumada was a source of pounds of methamphetamine for multiple drug dealers in Idaho.
Chief District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Ahumada to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Ahumada pleaded guilty to the federal charge in June 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the Lewiston Police Department, the Idaho State Police, the Oregon State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their collaboration in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Johnson prosecuted this case.
- Montana Man Convicted of Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison
In a separate case, Kristopher Andrew Anderson, 46, of Alberton, Montana, was sentenced to 86 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court records, Anderson was involved in trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl between Washington and Montana, through Idaho. The Defendant was stopped by officers in Shoshone, Idaho, while driving under the influence of fentanyl. While investigating Anderson for driving under the influence, officers located 415 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills in his vehicle. Officer also located a firearm. Anderson is a felon and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Chief District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Anderson to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryce Ellsworth prosecuted this case.
- Lewiston Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
In another case, Gary Francis Glasser, 61, of Lewiston, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records, Glasser met another individual who provided him with a satchel containing over 400 grams of methamphetamine in Lewiston. Glasser was subsequently arrested, and a search of his home uncovered indicia of intent to distribute, including a digital scale, several glassine baggies, and multiple ledgers.
Chief District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Glasser to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Glasser pleaded guilty to the charge on May 20, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Lewiston Police Department, the Idaho State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Johnson prosecuted this case.
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Menan Man Sentenced for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – William Brian Thomson, 37, of Menan, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies stopped a vehicle that was driven by Thomson. He fled on foot and was apprehended by law enforcement a short distance away. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement discovered approximately 1,739 blue pills that later tested positive for fentanyl, a quarter pound of methamphetamine, and other drugs.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl in July of 2023. Thomson entered a guilty plea on April 24, 2024. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Thomson to serve three years of federal supervised release following his prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of Bonneville County Sheriff's Office, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney, formerly the Eastern Idaho Partnership Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Blythe McLane prosecuted the case.
This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials in eastern Idaho as well as the Idaho Department of Correction.
The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to utilize the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts.
This program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 224 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 145 have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 10,477 months (approximately 873 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 46.77 months (3.89 years). Defendants indicted for drug trafficking offenses serve, on average, approximately 72.25 months (6.02 years) in federal prison.
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U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit to Co-Sponsor “United Against Hate” Summit in MoscowRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, the Latah County Human Rights Task Force, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Moscow Human Rights Commission, DOJ Community Relations Service, and the FBI, are convening a United Against Hate summit on September 16 at The 1912 Center in Moscow. The event is free and is open to the public.
United Against Hate is an initiative launched by the Department of Justice focused on improving efforts to combat hate crimes and hate incidents through relationship building at the local level. Through this endeavor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeks to create and strengthen trust and partnerships among law enforcement, community leaders, and residents. Well‑attended summits have already been held in Coeur d’Alene, Caldwell, Boise, Ketchum, Pocatello, and Sandpoint.
“The United Against Hate initiative continues to resonate and be a priority for our office because Idaho continues to grapple with unlawful hate,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We are committed to empowering Idahoans to recognize and report hate crimes so that we can enforce the law and work toward communities where everyone enjoys the protections of our Constitution without fear of being targeted by bigotry and hate.”
The September 16 event will include remarks from local leaders, presentations from prosecutors about hate crimes laws and reporting mechanisms, and speakers who will share their visions of safety and peace in their community and region.
“It is very exciting for Moscow to host this unique and timely event with such a wide representation of presenters including a panel giving the local perspective on providing a safe and welcoming environment,” said Joann Muneta, Chair of the Latah County Human Rights Task Force
“Our commitment to promoting human rights and combating hate is stronger than ever,” said Erin Agidius, Moscow Human Rights Commission Chair. “This summit represents an opportunity for us to come together as a community, share our experiences, and build lasting partnerships that stand against hate and bigotry. We are honored to collaborate with our co-sponsors to advance this vital cause. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that all members of our community feel safe, valued, and heard. By coming together, we can foster a culture of respect and understanding, making it clear that hate has no place in Moscow or anywhere else.”
“Hate and bigotry can only flourish if it is ignored or goes unopposed,” said Shannon F. Wheeler, Chairman, Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee. “Working with and getting to know our neighbors is the most effective way to actively push back on hate and prevent it from gaining a foothold in this region. The Nez Perce Tribe has called this area home for thousands of years. As its first inhabitants, we consider these lands sacred and, we are proud to be a partner in the United Against Hate campaign. We will continue to work together with all who are willing to make this region a home for everyone.”
“I look forward to meeting community members and hearing different perspectives on how we can work together to unite our community in standing up to hate,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “And I am deeply honored to partner with our co-sponsors to prioritize this critical mission.”
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Middleton Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison After Causing A DeathRead the Press Release
BOISE – Nathaniel Erik Walsh, 29, of Middleton, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of an individual, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Walsh distributed six fentanyl pills to an individual on April 29, 2023. Walsh drove from Caldwell to Boise to provide the fentanyl pills to the victim, placing them in her mailbox. The victim smoked the pills and died of a fentanyl overdose.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford, also ordered Walsh to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term and required Walsh to pay for the victim’s funeral expenses. Walsh pleaded guilty to the offense on July 12, 2024.
“We mourn the loss of life in this case. Everyone should know that a single use of fentanyl can be fatal,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “And anyone dealing or using fentanyl should know that if you sell or share even a small amount of fentanyl to another person, you are risking that person’s life and setting yourself up for a lengthy prison sentence.”
“Fentanyl distributors like Mr. Walsh peddle a deadly substance to vulnerable people for their own gain,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentence in this case provides a small measure of justice for the pain Mr. Walsh caused and shows the resolve of the DEA and the Boise Police to hold drug traffickers accountable for their crimes.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Boise Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their investigation in the case, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian S. Nafzger prosecuted the case.
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Post Falls Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Kevin Richmond, 63, of Post Falls, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for the crime of sexual exploitation of children, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford sentenced Richmond to 20 years in federal prison with a lifetime of supervision to follow. Richmond was also ordered to pay $38,000 in restitution to his victims.
According to court records, in December 2022, law enforcement received several tips that Richmond was uploading child pornography to a data storage service. Based on the tips, a federal magistrate judge issued a search warrant for Richmond’s online account. Law enforcement executed the search warrant and examined the contents of his online data storage account.
In Richmond’s online accounts, law enforcement confirmed that he was in possession of child pornography. Law enforcement additionally discovered that Richmond was not only possessing child pornography, but he was also producing child pornography with a victim child.
Based on this discovery, a federal magistrate judge issued an additional search warrant authorizing law enforcement to seize digital devices from Richmond’s residence in Post Falls. Law enforcement executed this search warrant at Richmond’s residence where they found a cell phone belonging to him. Law enforcement forensically analyzed the phone and found child pornography on the device. Law enforcement also discovered that Richmond had online communications where he claimed he had access to a minor child for sexual purposes.
Law enforcement interviewed Richmond on the same day law enforcement executed the search warrant on his home. After law enforcement advised Richmond of his Miranda rights, he consented to an interview. During the interview, he admitted that he received child pornography from an internet application. Richmond also admitted to producing child pornography with an actual child using his cell phone. He admitted that he had the child engaged in a sexual act as part of a sexual fantasy. He admitted to adding the child’s name to the child pornography that he produced.
“We hope for healing for the victims of this horrific case,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Idahoans should know our office and our law enforcement partners have no higher calling than protecting children, and anyone out there engaging in the abuse of children should know that we will spare no effort to find them and hold them accountable just like this defendant.”
“The sentencing of Mr. Richmond to federal prison for sexual exploitation of children represents a significant step in our ongoing efforts to protect the community, particularly our children, from those who pose a severe threat,” said Post Falls Police Chief Greg McLean. “This case underscores the importance of vigilance and collaboration among law enforcement agencies to ensure that individuals who engage in such heinous crimes are held accountable”.
“It took the dedicated teamwork of ICAC and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all our partner agencies working together to put this predator behind bars where he can no longer hurt our kids,” said Attorney General Raúl Labrador. “I’m grateful for the hard work of everyone involved – the prosecutors, the investigators, and the judge who clearly saw the danger presented to our community.”
“The U.S. Secret Service will continue to use all the tools, resources and expertise at our disposal to ensure that individuals, such as Mr. Richmond, are held accountable for crimes against children,” said Special Agent in Charge Glen T. Peterson. “The U.S. Secret Service stands firmly with our law enforcement partners like the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Post Falls Police Department and the ICAC Task Force as we investigate these crimes and bring these offenders to justice.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Post Falls Police Department, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the U.S. Secret Service, which led to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Johnson, Kassandra McGrady, and David Robins prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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 better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Husband and Wife Sentenced for Defrauding an Elderly Victim Out of Her Home and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
BOISE – James Dougherty, 44, of Boise, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for wire fraud involving a scheme to defraud an elderly victim of money and real property, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Dougherty to three years of supervised release to follow his prison term. His wife, Jessica Dougherty, 43, also of Boise, was sentenced to three years of probation for obstruction of justice.
According to court records, in early 2015, James Dougherty and his wife, Jessica Dougherty, moved into a building on the victim’s 46-acre ranch in Boise to ostensibly provide the victim with assistance with her ranch and horses in exchange for free rent. Prior to 2015, the victim, a retired elementary schoolteacher, lived independently on her ranch and enjoyed a comfortable retirement.
In late 2015, the victim’s health deteriorated. During that time, James Dougherty gained control of the victim’s finances, including being named as the victim’s power-of-attorney for finances. A trust was executed, ostensibly signed by the victim, naming James and Jessica Dougherty as primary beneficiaries of the victim’s estate, including the ranch, and naming James Dougherty as successor trustee.
Shortly thereafter, in December 2015, the victim’s ranch was transferred from the victim to the newly formed trust benefitting the Doughertys. In March 2016, the victim was then declared incapacitated by two doctors, and James Dougherty was appointed sole trustee of the trust.
In 2015 and 2016, James Dougherty began to access, use, and transfer funds from the victim’s banking and financial accounts for his own personal use, benefit, and ownership. James Dougherty used the victim’s funds without her knowledge or consent to pay his and Jessica Dougherty’s creditors to rehabilitate their credit and to qualify for a mortgage to ultimately transfer the victim’s ranch into the Doughertys’ personal names.
In July 2017, James and Jessica Dougherty entered into an agreement to purchase the ranch from the trust, executed by James Dougherty, as trustee. The victim was not involved in the transactions. James Dougherty as trustee sold the ranch to himself and Jessica Dougherty, signed as both the “Buyer” and as the “Seller” on the purchase and sale agreement, for less than the market value.
James Dougherty did not place the ranch for sale on the public market and the purchase price he paid simply represented the amount to clear the existing debt on the ranch. According to the Ada County Assessor, however, the value of the ranch at the time was approximately twice the amount of the purchase price.
The sale of the ranch to James and Jessica Dougherty was a breach of fiduciary duty under the trust and James Dougherty admitted he acted with the intent to defraud. In total, as a result of James Dougherty’s fraud, the victim suffered a loss of more than $250,000.
After James and Jessica were arrested in August 2022, and while in pretrial custody, Jessica Dougherty made a call from the Ada County jail and requested that an individual “flash” or “reset” a Dell laptop computer located at the ranch. Within hours, an individual followed Jessica Dougherty’s request and records relevant to the investigation involving the victim were permanently destroyed from the Dell laptop computer.
Jessica Dougherty admitted to knowingly causing the destruction of the records with the intent to obstruct the Department of Justice’s investigation.
“Defrauding this vulnerable victim out of her home was a reprehensible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am grateful for the dedication of the investigators and prosecutors in this case. The justice achieved here reinforces our commitment to protect our senior citizens from fraud and abuse.”
“These sentences should serve as a reminder to anyone attempting to defraud or manipulate a senior citizen that their actions will bring severe consequences,” said Tom Demeo, Acting IRS CI Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Office. “As a community, it is our responsibility to care for our elders. As a law enforcement community, it is our duty to hold individuals accountable who abuse their position of trust and we will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect our senior citizens.”
“Elder abuse preys on vulnerable individuals, stripping seniors of their hard-earned savings, and will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners to raise awareness of this growing crisis and pursue those who engage in this abhorrent conduct.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Ada County Sherriff’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Division, and the Office of Inspector General of Health and Human Services, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Mazorol and Brittney Campbell prosecuted the case.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. The mission of the Department’s Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s seniors.
To learn more visit www.justice.gov/elderjustice. The public is encouraged to report their victimization and suspected fraud schemes. To find the right reporting agency visit www.justice.gov/elderjustice/roadmap or call the victim connect hotline at 1-855-484-2846.
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Coeur d’Alene Man Convicted of Multimillion Dollar Accounts Receivable Factoring SchemeRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – A federal jury convicted Douglas Worman, 63, of Coeur d’Alene, of 17 counts of wire fraud after a six-day trial, announced U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit today. The jury acquitted Worman of five separate counts of bank fraud.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Worman owned and operated Worman Forest Management, a Coeur d’Alene-area forestry management company. In 2010, Worman, through his company, entered into a factoring agreement with J.S. Richards Forestry Management to sell millions of dollars of Worman Forest Management’s accounts receivable that were based on invoices for work the business had provided to its customers. Factoring is a form of short-term financing in which a business sells its accounts receivable to a third-party at a discount. In a factoring transaction, the seller of an invoice obtains immediate funding from a buyer, and the buyer of an invoice earns a fee for providing the up-front financing.
According to court records, beginning in at least 2015 and continuing through September 2018, Worman submitted inflated and entirely false and fraudulent invoices to J.S. Richards Forestry Management for factoring, purportedly for work Worman’s business had performed for its customers. Between June 2018 and September 2018, Worman submitted more than $2 million in false and fraudulent invoices for factoring to J.S. Richards Forestry Management. Those invoices claimed to be for actual work performed by Worman Forest Management for its customers, but, in reality, the invoices were for amounts that were inflated and entirely fictitious. As a result of Worman’s fraud scheme, Worman fraudulently obtained at least $1.5 million from J.S. Richards Forestry Management.
“I extend my gratitude to the jurors who diligently performed their civic duty and gave careful consideration to the evidence in this complex case,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “This case demonstrates the commitment and skill of our prosecutors, staff, and law enforcement partners. We will continue to root out fraud by following the facts wherever they lead.”
“Fraud schemes may not be violent, but victims can suffer staggering losses from such crimes, which is why the FBI will seek accountability and justice,” said Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Even if there’s an association or a relationship built on trust between two parties, always thoroughly research an investment opportunity, and report any potential fraud to the FBI.”
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye accepted the jury’s verdict on August 13, 2024, and scheduled Worman to be sentenced on December 10, 2024, at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene. Worman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittney Campbell and Sean Mazorol are prosecuting this case.
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Bellevue Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
BOISE – Spencer Riding, 26, formerly of Bellevue, Idaho, was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of children, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Riding to a lifetime of supervised release to follow his prison term.
According to court records, in 2019, Riding used social media to contact a 15-year-old minor child. Through social media, Riding persuaded the child to send him topless photos. Using these photos, Riding threatened the minor child. He threatened to send the topless photos to strangers on the internet if she did not send him child pornography. The child sent him child pornography to avoid release of her explicit photos. Eventually, the child and her family came forward to law enforcement.
Law enforcement, through the report from the child and investigative efforts, secured a search warrant for Riding’s residence. The search warrant authorized law enforcement to seize and forensically analyze his digital devices. Law enforcement seized a cell phone and forensically examined it. On the phone, law enforcement discovered images of child pornography from an additional child victim. Law enforcement investigated the production of these images. They discovered that Riding engaged in a similar criminal pattern of coercion, whereby he contacted a minor child over social media, secured compromising photos, and threatened to release sexually explicit images if the child did not send additional child pornography.
Riding was indicted by a federal grand jury for the conduct above. While pending sentencing, law enforcement in Wyoming received a tip that Riding was engaged in further child pornography crimes using social media. Law enforcement secured another search warrant for his residence and executed it in 2022. Law enforcement discovered that Riding had previously contacted a minor child in another state and traveled there to record sexual acts with the child. Riding entered a subsequent plea of guilty to a superseding information that reflected criminal conduct against all known victims.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gooding County Sheriff’s Office, the Wyoming Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Department of Homeland Security, and the St. Helen’s Police Department, which led to the charges. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Robins and Kassandra McGrady.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Highlights Success of Drug Distribution Prosecution Efforts in Southern IdahoRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the results of three separate drug distribution cases in Southern Idaho today.
“The case results announced today reflect stellar work by our prosecutors and staff,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Together with our law enforcement partners, our office is rising to meet the challenge that drug trafficking poses to communities in Idaho. The partnerships that drive these cases will continue to make our state a terrible place for drug dealers to do business.”
1. Large Scale Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison
In one case, Luis M. Villalobos-Galdamez, 27, an immigrant from El Salvador who was living in California at the time of his arrest, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records, on May 16, 2023, a detective from Deschutes County, Oregon, contacted the Idaho State Police (ISP) regarding a car traveling from California and heading towards the Magic Valley that was suspected of carrying a large quantity of controlled substances. The detective explained that they were investigating an individual named “Luis” who was believed to be a passenger in the car. An ongoing Deschutes County investigation showed that Villalobos-Galdamez had previously supplied large quantities of methamphetamine to Deschutes County and possibly Idaho on previous occasions. Based on this information, ISP detectives quickly worked to locate the car. After the car passed into Idaho, a traffic stop was conducted. During a subsequent search, police found 10 pounds of methamphetamine hidden under the spare tire in the trunk. More drugs were found hidden in the center console and backseat. In total, 21.46 pounds of methamphetamine was seized from Villalobos-Galdamez.
“This case highlights the importance and effectiveness of partnerships in our criminal justice system. It takes all of us to ensure we continue fighting to keep drugs out of our communities,” said Deschutes County Sheriff L. Shane Nelson.
Judge Winmill also ordered Villalobos-Galdamez to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. It is expected that he will be deported to El Salvador upon his release from prison. Villalobos-Galdamez pleaded guilty to the federal charge in April 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the Idaho State Police and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon, for their collaboration in this investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Booker.
2. Nampa Man Convicted of Distribution of Methamphetamine Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison
In a separate case, Oswald Charles Reyna, 67, of Nampa, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court records, Reyna sold individuals methamphetamine on July 31, August 7, and August 21, in 2023, at his home in Nampa. On August 26, 2023, Reyna was contacted by police officers in Fruitland, Idaho while meeting with another individual and a juvenile for an apparent drug deal at 2:00 a.m. After a positive alert for the presence of the odor of controlled substances emanating from Reyna’s vehicle by a drug detecting K9, investigators searched his vehicle and found approximately five ounces of methamphetamine. Reyna, who has a 26-year history of trafficking controlled substances pleaded guilty to this fifth drug trafficking offense on May 9, 2024.
“I’m proud of the teamwork that went into this investigation to put a career criminal behind bars,” said Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff. “We all need to take a stand and speak up when we see unlawful activity happening. We need to let these criminals know that their illegal activity has no business in our community.”
“Methamphetamine traffickers like Mr. Reyna prey on our communities for their own gain,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “DEA and our partners at the Nampa Police, the Fruitland Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office work hard to stop methamphetamine traffickers and ensure they are held accountable for their actions. Our community is a little safer because of Mr. Reyna’s sentence in this case.”
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Reyna to pay a $500 fine, to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence and entered a final order of forfeiture for Reyna’s Nampa home that he used for his drug deals.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of DEA, the Nampa Police Department Special Investigations Unit, and the Fruitland Police Department, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted this case.
3. Canyon County Man Sentenced to Over 4 Years for Distributing Fentanyl
In another case, Aaron Vincent Fretz, 41, of Nampa, was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court records, in August 2023, Fretz sold a total of 5.5 grams of fentanyl and 84.1 grams of methamphetamine to another person on two occasions.
Fretz has a lengthy criminal history, which includes convictions for felony possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl, grand theft, and misdemeanor convictions for driving under the influence and possession of marijuana.
“This case highlights the tireless efforts of the City County Narcotics Unit and our federal law enforcement partners when it comes to combatting the sale of illicit drugs in our community,” said Canyon County Sheriff and National Sheriffs’ Association President Kieran Donahue. “We must continue the fight against the bad actors who are actively trying to poison our citizens with dangerous drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine.”
“I am proud that as Idahoans, we are united in our efforts of upholding the rule of law and keeping our communities safe,” said Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram. “Through our relentless pursuit of justice by collaborating with our local, state, and federal partners, we can sleep well at night knowing that Idaho is safer with us all working together.”
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Fretz to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Fretz pleaded guilty on May 2, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of City County Narcotics Unit for their investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie C. Chong prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position.
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Former Division Chief of Logistics for Kootenai County EMSS Sentenced in Drug Diversion SchemeRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Scott Higgins, 57, of Coeur d’Alene, was sentenced yesterday on charges for theft from a program receiving federal funds and acquiring controlled substances by fraud, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. Both charges relate to a drug diversion scheme that Higgins carried out over multiple years while employed as the Division Chief of Logistics for Kootenai County Emergency Medical Services System (KCEMSS).
According to court records, as the Division Chief of Logistics, Higgins was responsible for purchasing and managing controlled substances on behalf of KCEMSS. Between at least July 2020 and February 2023, Higgins engaged in a fraudulent scheme whereby he ordered on behalf of KCEMSS substantially more opioids than were required and kept the excess for personal use. The total value of the opioids that Higgins wrongfully acquired from this scheme was $13,428.24.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Higgins. Based in part on Higgins’ lack of criminal history, cooperation with the investigation, acceptance of responsibility, and proactive engagement in substance abuse treatment, Higgins was afforded a probationary sentence of 5 years. Should Higgins violate probation, he will be subject to re-sentencing and faces up to 14 years of imprisonment if sentenced consecutively on both counts. Judge Nye also ordered Higgins to pay restitution to KCEMSS.
“This case is a reminder of how the opioid crisis impacts our communities in many different ways,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “It demonstrates not only the need for strong enforcement but also the need for all of us to come together to raise awareness about the dangers of opioids as well as the hope that can be found through substance abuse treatment.”
“People like Mr. Higgins who work with controlled substances are placed in positions of special trust to safeguard the public’s health and well-being and DEA takes any violation of that trust extremely seriously,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “We are gratified by the accountability the Court imposed on Mr. Higgins for breaking his obligations and we thank the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho for their partnership in this effort.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative work of the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration, which led to the charges. He also thanked the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Johnson prosecuted this case.
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Idaho Diesel Parts Companies and Owner Sentenced for Tampering with Emissions Control Systems and Selling Tampering SoftwareRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Diesel performance parts retailers GDP Tuning LLC and Custom Auto of Rexburg LLC, doing business as Gorilla Performance, and owner Barry Pierce were sentenced today in federal court in Pocatello, announced U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Pierce to four months in federal prison. GDP Tuning and Gorilla Performance were sentenced to five years of probation. All defendants were ordered to jointly pay a $1 million fine. The companies and Pierce had previously pleaded guilty.
The charges in the case relate to illegal tampering with monitoring devices required under the Clean Air Act, specifically the on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems in diesel trucks. The first part of the tampering process is to physically remove the emissions control devices, known as “deleting” a truck. In part two, computer software is used to reprogram or tune the vehicle’s OBD to not recognize what has happened; this process is known as “tuning.”
An OBD normally detects any removal or malfunction of a vehicle’s emissions control equipment, recording a diagnostic trouble code and triggering a vehicle’s “check engine” light. If a malfunction is not remedied, a vehicle can, in some circumstances, be forced into “limp mode,” with a max speed of five-miles-per-hour. Tuning bypasses these checks even with the emissions control equipment removed.
According to court documents, from approximately 2016 to 2020, Pierce and GDP Tuning and Gorilla Diesel Performance tuned and deleted hundreds of vehicles at the Gorilla Diesel Performance auto repair shop in Rexburg, Idaho. Through various distributors, GDP Tuning also sold tens of millions of dollars’ worth of tunes, tuners and equipment around the country, including what GDP Tuning described as “custom tunes.” GDP Tuning knew the tunes were being used to illegally reprogram vehicles.
Pierce told Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inspectors in 2018 that his companies sold kits to delete trucks and products to tune them, including tunes and tuners. In response to EPA’s later follow-up, GDP Tuning produced sales data indicating that it sold over 20,000 tuning products for approximately $14 million in revenue from January 1, 2018, through approximately August 7, 2019.
EPA law enforcement agents conducted undercover operations to determine the extent of illegal activity at GDP Tuning and Gorilla Diesel Performance. Employees told an uncover agent that the companies routinely “deleted” trucks at the Gorilla Diesel Performance location. Evidence gathered showed that Gorilla Diesel Performance conducted hundreds of deletes and used GDP Tuning products, with at least seven employees conducting deletes or obtaining tunes for the deleted vehicles. Pierce was aware of and directed the conduct.
“Protecting Idaho’s environment and promoting public health are top priorities for my office, and the extreme amount of pollution emitted from illegally modified diesel trucks threatens both of these goals,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone who purposefully and illegally pollutes our air.”
“The defendants knowingly and repeatedly flouted Clean Air Act regulations even after being told that this conduct was against the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We are committed to enforcing the law and holding individuals and businesses accountable.”
“Despite being warned by EPA that his conduct was illegal, Barry Pierce and his companies continued to flout the law for years, selling millions of dollars of products that defeated emissions controls on diesel trucks,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann, of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “These products resulted in thousands of tons of excess pollutants being emitted into the air, putting our most vulnerable populations at risk. This brazen behavior must stop and EPA will continue to seek jail time for violations until it does.”
The EPA investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, Senior Trial Attorney Cassandra Barnum of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, and EPA Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel Karla Perrin prosecuted the case.
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Habitual Domestic Violence Sends Lapwai Man to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Gordon Milton Bennett, Jr., 46, of Lapwai, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for domestic assault by habitual offender, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, in June 2023 Bennett committed a domestic assault against his wife. The investigation found that Bennett had at least two prior convictions in Nez Perce Tribal Court for domestic violence. Federal criminal law makes it a felony offense to commit a domestic assault within the borders of a reservation if a defendant has at least two prior convictions for domestic assault. The maximum penalty for the offense is up to five years in federal prison. Chief U.S. District Court Judge David C. Nye also sentenced Bennett to three years of supervised release after his release from prison. During that time Bennett will be required to comply with the terms and conditions of his supervised release which include counseling and treatment as well as regular meetings with his federal probation officer.
“I am grateful for the collaboration that allows the Tribe and our office to fight against domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We must all work to prevent the distressing trauma that victims and survivors endure from repeated abuse.”
Nez Perce Tribe’s Prosecuting Attorney, Anne Kelleher, underscores the benefit of the Tribe’s partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to address repeat violent offenders like Bennett. “Though the Nez Perce Tribe has successfully prosecuted Bennett in the past, he continued to use violence to terrorize and control victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s continued commitment to prosecuting major crimes in Indian Country is crucial and sends a message that violent repeat offenders will be held accountable.”
“Domestic violence not only harms the victim but has a long-lasting impact on families and communities too,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “We want victims to know they are not alone. The FBI and our partners will work to help end the cycle of abuse, bring offenders to justice, and protect others from this horrible crime.”
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit commended the joint work of the Nez Perce Tribal Police, the Nez Perce Tribal Prosecutor’s Office, and the FBI, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci Whelan prosecuted this case.
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Eastern Idaho Attorney Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Robin Dwain Dunn, 69, of Rigby, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
Court records indicate that from June 2022 to February 2023, Dunn—an attorney practicing in Eastern Idaho who previously served as the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney—agreed with clients and others to distribute controlled substances. During the conspiracy, Dunn and a client made two trips to the Salt Lake City area to pick up methamphetamine and fentanyl. Dunn and the client then brought the drugs back to Idaho for distribution to others.
Court records further indicated that in November 2022, Dunn caused fentanyl to be distributed into a correctional facility (the Bonneville County Jail) to an inmate client. Dunn agreed that he abused a position of trust by using his position as an attorney to further his drug trafficking activities.
The charge in this case is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release. After Dunn entered his guilty plea, the court remanded him into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Idaho Falls Police Department, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Idaho State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francis Zebari and Christopher Atwood are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Co-Conspirator in Magic Valley Drug Ring Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOISE – Brandon Aaron Dana, 36, a co-conspirator in a large drug trafficking conspiracy, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for distributing over 7,000 fentanyl pills in the Magic Valley, announced U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit.
According to court records, in the summer of 2023, law enforcement officers identified Dana while investigating a drug trafficking organization led by a man named Austin Lee. In approximately April 2023, Lee moved to Arizona, but continued to direct his drug trafficking enterprise in Idaho through various co-conspirators, including Dana. On June 20, 2023, Lee communicated with Dana and arranged to have him distribute approximately 7,000 fentanyl pills to an individual who, unbeknownst to Lee or Dana at the time, was an undercover officer investigating their conspiracy. The transaction happened as planned, and Dana drove to a gas station parking lot located in Jerome, Idaho, where he met with the undercover officer.
During the drug transaction, Dana handed the undercover officer a red plastic oil container that contained the fentanyl pills. Dana had cut the bottom portion of the container along the seam to create a small opening where he inserted the drugs. The drug transaction was audio and video recorded by police. The below photographs show how Dana concealed the pills.
Dana is the fifth defendant sentenced as a member of this drug trafficking conspiracy. On February 20, 2024, U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford sentenced co-conspirator Tina Morris to 97 months in federal prison. She also sentenced co-conspirator Jamie Coltrin to 48 months in prison. The following day, she sentenced co-conspirators Jenika Johnson to 48 months in prison and Daniel Coltrin to 25 months in prison. All four sentences were to be followed by three years of supervised release. These sentencings were previously announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, on February 26, 2024. See Press Release.
Dana has a prior criminal history that includes at least 14 criminal offenses, including four prior felony offenses involving delivery of a controlled substance, two burglaries, and an escape by a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford sentenced Dana to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a $900 fine. Following his imprisonment, he was ordered to complete five years of supervised release.
“This case reflects the success we are having in dismantling significant drug trafficking networks in the Magic Valley,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Along with our dedicated law enforcement partners, we will remain focused on this work. Drug traffickers should recognize that serious consequences await them if they bring poisonous drugs like fentanyl into Idaho.”
“DEA and our partners will work tirelessly to stop drug traffickers from flooding our communities with drugs and violence,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentences in this case highlight the serious threat fentanyl and methamphetamine traffickers pose as well as our commitment to stop them.”
“Law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions are joining forces to combat the proliferation of illicit drugs within our communities,” said Idaho State Police Lieutenant Colonel Sheldon Kelley. “Through unwavering collaboration, we will work tirelessly to dismantle the networks responsible for distributing drugs throughout Idaho. By disrupting these operations, we not only uphold the law but also prioritize the safety and well-being of our citizens, ensuring our streets remain free from the harmful influence of drugs.”
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Idaho State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mini-Cassia Drug Task Force, the Twin Falls Special Investigations Unit, the Jerome County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Pocatello Police Department, for their work on these cases.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Booker and Frank Zebari.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Large Scale Methamphetamine Trafficker and Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Sergio Cisneros-Guzman, a/k/a Salomon Hernandez Medina, 49, a Mexican citizen residing in Nampa, was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and maintaining a drug-involved premises, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, the FBI-led Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force began investigating reports that Cisneros-Guzman was trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine and firearms out of his landscaping nursery, Rolling Hills Nursery, in Nampa. Law enforcement conducted six undercover controlled buys at Cisneros-Guzman’s nursery totaling approximately 2 kilograms of methamphetamine and also purchased an AR-style rifle with a high-capacity magazine. A search of Cisneros-Guzman’s nursery resulted in the seizure of an additional 100 grams of methamphetamine, eleven firearms, and $117,264 in cash. The government presented evidence at Cisneros-Guzman’s sentencing that when he sold the AR-style rifle with a high‑capacity magazine along with a half-pound of methamphetamine, he told the undercover officer, “One thing is for sure, if you are involved in a massacre, don’t tell no one who sold it to you. If you want to use it, make sure to clean your fingerprints from the rifle and the ammo.”
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Cisneros-Guzman to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Cisneros-Guzman, who pleaded guilty to the offenses, agreed to forfeit to the United States the Rolling Hills Nursery, $117,264 in U.S. currency, eleven firearms, magazines and high-capacity magazines, and miscellaneous ammunition. Because Cisneros-Guzman is a Mexican citizen who was illegally present in the United States, he will be deported after serving his 16-year sentence. At sentencing, Judge Brailsford stated that Cisneros-Guzman’s criminal activity involved all the major threats currently facing the United States: illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and illegally possessed and trafficked firearms.
“Removing this defendant from our community is a win for Idaho and reflects the strong partnerships between our office and federal and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will not tolerate criminals illegally entering our country and then enriching themselves by distributing dangerous drugs and trafficking firearms in Idaho.”
“Cisneros-Guzman operated with blatant disregard for the law and for the safety of all Idahoans,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Drugs and violence have devastated too many families in the Treasure Valley. When law enforcement combines resources and expertise, we can take back our communities from dangerous drug traffickers like Cisneros‑Guzman.”
“This is another example of the criminality happening in our community that has direct ties to Mexico and the Transcontinental Criminal Organizations that operate with impunity in Mexico and have seriously infiltrated communities throughout the United States,” said Canyon County Sheriff and National Sheriffs’ Association President Kieran Donahue. “Thankfully, here in the Treasure Valley, we have the METRO Task Force and other partnerships with local and federal law enforcement that focus on rooting out this type of criminal behavior.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force for its efforts in this case. The Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local agencies, including the FBI, the Caldwell Police Department, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, the City and County Narcotics Unit, the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office, the Idaho Department of Correction, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Nafzger and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Manweiler.
The Special Assistant U.S. Attorney was 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.
This case was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Leader of Aryan Knights Prison Gang Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
BOISE – James Ramsey, 43, formerly the overall leader of the Idaho prison gang known as the Aryan Knights, or “AK,” pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise under the federal RICO statute (the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act) conspiracy and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid or racketeering, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. With Ramsey’s guilty plea, all defendants in a ten-defendant RICO case charged in 2019 have now pleaded guilty. Sentencing for Ramsey is set for October 22, 2024.
The defendant was a member of an enterprise called the “Aryan Knights” (“AK”) since at least 2007. The AK is a prison gang that operates within Idaho Department of Correction (“IDOC”) prison facilities but also outside of IDOC facilities in the District of Idaho. It was founded to organize criminal activity for a select group of white inmates within IDOC custody. The defendant has held various positions of rank in the AK, including being the overall leader of the gang in 2015 and 2016. The AK is a corrupt racketeering enterprise, as defined in the RICO statute. It has a code of conduct that includes, but is not limited to, carrying out orders and submitting to discipline from the leaders of the gang. The AK derives its revenue from, among other things, extortion and smuggling and distributing controlled substances into IDOC facilities.
The defendant knowingly agreed that he or a co-conspirator would participate in the conduct of the affairs of the enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity. Among other things, AK members were ordered by AK leaders, including the defendant, to engage in criminal activity. As part of his participation in the AK, the defendant frequently communicated with other members of the AK about participating in collecting debts, extortion in IDOC prison facilities to be committed by AK members and distributing controlled substances in IDOC prison facilities.
As part of the racketeering conspiracy, the defendant participated in, and understood that other AK members would participate in the following acts:
- From 2010 to 2017, the AK trafficked drugs within IDOC. This includes a 2015–2016 scheme to smuggle methamphetamine into IDOC using an inmate’s wheelchair, arranging for methamphetamine to be smuggled in using another inmate’s girlfriend, and a system of “kick downs” the Defendant implemented. The defendant, along with other AK members, distributed and arranged the distribution of drugs, including methamphetamine, during this period.
- In the spring of 2016, the Defendant ordered that AK members attack another inmate (the victim). The victim was a former AK member. On June 15, 2016, co-defendant Harlan Hale and two other AK members attacked the victim on an IDOC baseball field. They beat and stabbed the victim multiple times with homemade knives, intending to kill the victim. Hale previously pleaded guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy and admitted that he committed this attack as an integral aspect of gang membership.
All ten of the AK defendants in this case have pleaded guilty, and eight have been sentenced so far:
- Harlan Hale, 58, was sentenced in March of 2021 to life in federal prison.
- Christopher Foss, 35, was sentenced in September, 2020, to 210 months in federal prison, with 174 months to be served after his earliest possible parole date for his current state prison sentence. Foss was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
- Buck Pickens, 35, was sentenced in September, 2020, to 206 months in federal prison, with 60 months to be served after his earliest possible parole date for his current sentence. Pickens was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
- Steven Bowman, 41, was sentenced in May, 2023, to 78 months in federal prison, to be served after his earliest possible parole date for his current sentence. Bowman was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
- Nicholas Sites, 39, was sentenced in January, 2023, to 55 months in federal prison. Sites was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
- Mark Woodland, 53, was sentenced in June, 2023, to 51 months in federal prison, to be served after his earliest possible parole date for his current sentence. Woodland was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration.
- Lucas Johnson, 35, was sentenced in May, 2021, to 48 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- Michael McNabb, 40, was sentenced in August, 2020, to 28 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from IDOC’s Special Investigations Unit, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office.
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Rexburg Man Convicted of Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Kelly Ryan McCandless, 53, of Rexburg, was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison following his convictions for defrauding his partners out of more than $580,000, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, in 2017, McCandless and two others formed a partnership to build a 96-bed student housing property in Rexburg, Idaho. McCandless’s contribution was to build the property, using a loan secured by the partnership, at cost. In exchange for his efforts, and upon completion of the project, he would be entitled to 24.5% of the building equity and future proceeds.
Over the course of the next year, however, and beginning with the very first bank withdrawal, McCandless falsified subcontractor invoices and bank withdrawal requests. He unlawfully used subcontractors’ signatures to withdraw loan proceeds from the bank at a higher amount than what was invoiced to build the project. The bank relied on those documents and wired McCandless the proceeds from the loan. McCandless continued this scheme for months and improperly took approximately $580,000, which he used to purchase personal items like a brand-new pickup truck, several snow mobiles, several dirt bikes, toy haulers, a Jeep, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, $5,000 in dental work, vacations, among other expenditures. His actions caused the project to come to a standstill, and but for one of the partners injecting more capital into the project, the student housing property would never have been completed.
After a six-day jury trial, McCandless was found guilty of four counts of wire fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft on November 29, 2023.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered McCandless to pay a $10,000 fine and to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
“The defendant defrauded partners who put their trust in him and spent the funds he stole on a lifestyle he could not legitimately afford,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will not tolerate this illegal conduct, which truly harms victims and threatens our local economies. I’m grateful for the FBI’s hard work in this case, and we thank the jury for its service.”
“Like many fraudsters, McCandless was motivated by greed, lining his pockets with the embezzled money and spending it on expensive toys for himself,” said Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “While he may have benefited in the short term, he will now be held accountable for betraying and defrauding his victims.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the FBI, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse and former Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shirts prosecuted this case.
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Last of Five Defendants with Ties to White Supremacy and Who Were Charged with Targeting Idaho Energy Facilities Enters Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
BOISE – Yesterday, in Wilmington, North Carolina, a Boise man with white supremacist ties pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge stemming from his participation in a group that had discussed targeting the power grid in Idaho and had conducted live-fire training near Boise.
Jordan Duncan, 29, of Boise, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the manufacturing of a firearm as charged in a superseding criminal information filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina. This crime carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in federal prison. Duncan is a former Marine assigned previously to Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
According to court documents, Duncan, with co-defendants Paul James Kryscuk, 38, Liam Collins, 25, Justin Wade Hermanson, 25, and Joseph Maurino, 25, researched, discussed, and reviewed at length a previous attack on the power grid by an unknown group. The group depicted in the attack used assault-style rifles in an attempt to explode a power substation. Between 2017 and 2020, Kryscuk manufactured firearms while Collins stole military gear, including magazines for assault-style rifles, and had them delivered to the other defendants. During that time, Duncan gathered a library of information, some military-owned, regarding firearms, explosives, and nerve toxins and shared that information with Kryscuk and Collins. In October 2020, a handwritten list of approximately one dozen intersections and places in Idaho and surrounding states was discovered in Kryscuk’s possession, including intersections and/or places containing a transformer, substation, or other component of the power grid for the northwest United States.
Previously filed charges allege that Collins and Kryscuk were members of and made multiple posts on the “Iron March” forum, a gathering point for young neo-Nazis to organize and recruit for extremist organizations, until the forum was closed in late 2017. Collins and Kryscuk met through the forum and expanded their group using an encrypted messaging application as an alternate means of communication outside of the forum. Collins and Kryscuk recruited additional members, including Duncan, Hermanson, and Maurino, and conducted training, including a live-fire training in the desert near Boise. From video footage recorded by the members during the training, Kryscuk, Duncan, and others produced a montage video of their training. In the video, the participants are seen firing short barrel rifles and other assault-type rifles, and the end of the propaganda video shows the four participants outfitted in AtomWaffen masks giving the “Heil Hitler” sign, beneath the image of a black sun, a Nazi symbol. The last frame bears the phrase, “Come home white man.” Prior to their arrests, Collins and Duncan had recently relocated to Boise from North Carolina and Texas, respectively, to be near Kryscuk.
Kryscuk, Collins, Maurino, and Hermanson each earlier entered pleas of guilty to various crimes: on February 15, 2022, Kryscuk entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy to destroy an energy facility, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison; on October 24, 2023, Collins pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of unregistered firearms, which carries a maximum of 10 years in federal prison; and on March 8, 2023 and April 11, 2023, respectively, Hermanson and Maurino pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture firearms and ship interstate, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
All five defendants now await sentencing before Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the FBI field offices in Salt Lake City and Charlotte with assistance from field offices in Boston, New York, and Newark, the Boise Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case for the government with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Idaho, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, the District of Rhode Island, and attorneys from the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
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Two East Idaho Methamphetamine Traffickers Receive Lengthy Federal Prison SentencesRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the sentences for two separate East Idaho methamphetamine traffickers who will serve a collective 21.5 years in federal prison.
Fredy Munoz-Morales, a/k/a Fredi Munoz-Morales, 36, a Mexican citizen and national, was sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, the Teton County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Munoz-Morales in April 2023. The investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Victor, Idaho that was associated with Munoz-Morales. Approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine were seized during the investigation along with two firearms.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Munoz-Morales earlier this week to 150 months in federal prison and ordered him to serve five years of supervised release. Munoz-Morales pleaded guilty to the charge on February 28, 2024.
In a separate case, Gabriel Lopez, 40, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced earlier this week to nine years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, the BADGES Task Force began investigating Lopez as the source of supply for methamphetamine to others in August 2023. The investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at Lopez’s residence in Idaho Falls. During the search, law enforcement seized approximately 392.2 grams of methamphetamine and small amounts of cocaine and marijuana.
Judge Nye also ordered Lopez to serve five years of supervised release upon the completion of his prison sentence. Lopez pleaded guilty to the charge on March 28, 2024. A co-defendant, Elizabeth Findlay, 55, of Pocatello, is pending a trial date on July 8, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Teton County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration, which led to the charges in the Munoz-Morales case and applauded the Idaho State Police, which participated as part of the HIDTA BADGES Task Force, for the Lopez investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe McLane prosecuted both cases.
The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region.
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Co-Worker Who Sold His Friend Fentanyl Pills Causing His Death Sentenced to 84 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Tanner Lee Goforth, 38, of Nampa, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for selling a co-worker fentanyl that led to his overdose death, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, on May 17, 2022, Goforth met his friend and co-worker, the victim, at a local gas station where Goforth sold the victim ten fentanyl pills. The victim went home, ingested the fentanyl intravenously, and died almost immediately. Nearly a half hour later, his girlfriend found him in their bathroom, called 911, and began performing CPR. Nampa Police Department officers and Nampa Fire Protection District arrived on scene and attempted life-saving measures including the administration of Narcan. Unfortunately, the victim was unable to be resuscitated.
“This case tragically illustrates the toll that fentanyl is taking in Idaho,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “All of our communities need to know how deadly fentanyl is and individuals need to know that we will hold them accountable if they distribute fentanyl to others.”
“This case should serve as a warning of just how lethal fentanyl can be, even if obtained from a trusted friend,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The overdose epidemic has taken too many lives. The FBI and our partners will relentlessly pursue those who profit from addictions and contribute to the harm in our communities.”
“The harm being done by fentanyl in our communities is devastating,” said Nampa Chief of Police Joe Huff. “Families and friends are suffering as they lose their loved ones to this deadly drug. Those responsible must be held accountable.”
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Goforth to pay a $1,000 fine and to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Goforth pleaded guilty to the charge on March 7, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigations by the Nampa Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Canyon County Coroner’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted the case.
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Kuna Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOISE – Justin Pedersen, 43, of Kuna, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine in the Treasure Valley, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, between November and December 2023, Pedersen distributed methamphetamine to another person on four separate occasions, totaling 309 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also searched Pedersen’s residence as part of the investigation and located an additional pound of methamphetamine hidden in the wall of his residence.
Pedersen has a lengthy criminal history, which includes felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, witness intimidation, and domestic battery with traumatic injury.
“Idaho enjoys strong partnerships between federal and local law enforcement and, together, we will continue to target and remove dangerous drug dealers from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “If you deal drugs in Idaho, you will face the consequences.”
“I am grateful for the hard work of our federal partners, and specifically the Boise Police Department’s narcotics detectives who work hard every day to target for investigation, those who facilitate the importation and sale of dangerous and deadly illegal substances in our community,” said Boise Chief of Police Ron Winegar.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Pedersen to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Pedersen pleaded guilty to the charge in March 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of Drug Enforcement Administration, the Boise Police Department, and the Boise Area Narcotics and Drug Interdiction Team, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blackadar prosecuted the case.
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Fort Hall Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Causing the Death of Her 7-Week-Old Baby by Methamphetamine ExposureRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Keisha Cody, 27, of Fort Hall, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for felony injury to a child, following the death of her seven-week-old baby boy on December 10, 2019, at Fort Hall, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Cody admitted to recklessly causing the health of her child to be injured by willfully exposing the child to methamphetamine and causing the child to become malnourished, which resulted in the child’s death. On December 10, 2019, Fort Hall Police and an ambulance were called to Cody’s residence on the Fort Hall Reservation of the Shoshone‑Bannock Tribes because of a report of a child who was not breathing. A person staying at the residence that night told police that she woke up about 9:00 am and Cody was crying, stating that her baby would not wake up. Emergency medical personnel performed life-saving measures on the child, but the seven-week-old boy was later declared dead.
An autopsy concluded that the cause of death was malnutrition, and that the child had a significant level of methamphetamine in his blood, which contributed to his malnutrition and death. Cody admitted in an interview with the FBI that she used methamphetamine around the child and otherwise exposed the child to methamphetamine.
“This case painfully demonstrates the deadly consequences of substance abuse and drug addiction,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We stand with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, as well as the law enforcement officers and emergency personnel who responded to this tragedy, in mourning this loss of life.”
“The loss of her innocent newborn is something this mother will now have to live with for the rest of her life,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “This case shows the unintended and devastating consequences of drug addiction. The FBI and our partners are continuously working to combat this problem which has resulted in so much pain and destruction in our communities.”
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye ordered that the five-year prison sentence be followed by three years of supervised release. Cody pleaded guilty to the charge on December 21, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the FBI, the Fort Hall Police Department, the Bannock County Coroner’s Office, CARES at St. Luke’s in Twin Falls, and the Ada County Coroner’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock prosecuted the case.
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Canyon County Man Sentenced to over 10 Years for Distributing Cocaine and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE – Tyler J. Pierce, 31, of Caldwell, was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison for distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, in June 2022, City County Narcotics Unit officers received information that Pierce was distributing controlled substances in Canyon County. On three occasions in June and August 2023 Pierce sold a total of 3.24 grams of cocaine and 361.99 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover police officer. After Pierce was arrested on an Idaho Department of Correction Agent’s Warrant, he made several calls to his spouse in which they discussed deleting digital evidence material to his case. On the calls, Pierce threatened the life of the undercover officer. Pierce received a sentencing enhancement related to obstructing or impeding the administration of justice.
Pierce has a lengthy criminal history, which includes felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, grand theft, and eluding law enforcement.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Pierce to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Pierce pleaded guilty on February 27, 2024.
“Having been caught selling poisoning drugs on our streets, this defendant doubled down on his criminal conduct by threatening the life of an undercover law enforcement officer who helped to bring him to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Just as we will not tolerate drug trafficking in Idaho, we will hold accountable anyone who threatens the brave men and women in law enforcement who help keep us all safe.”
“This is another example of unity, collaboration, and persistence. I am so proud of our partnerships with our federal counterparts, which continue to pay dividends for all Idahoans by ensuring they can live safely and pursue happiness,” said Caldwell Chief of Police Rex Ingram.
“This case is one example that highlights the prevalence of drugs in our state and the need for Task Force officers like those in the Canyon County Narcotics Unit to risk their lives trying to address this growing threat,” said Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue. “Almost all of these illicit drugs come through our Southern Border through the work of Transcontinental Criminal Organizations (TCOs) like the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels, and we must continue to the fight to hold accountable those who are involved with spreading this poison on our streets. That includes individuals like Tyler Pierce, but we also must hold those accountable who are complicit in the vast criminal networks responsible for bringing illicit drugs here to Idaho, like international bad actors in China and Mexico.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the City County Narcotics Unit, which is comprised of officers from the Canyon County Sheriff's Office and the Caldwell Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie C. Chong prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position.
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Idaho U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
BOISE – Josh Hurwit, U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho, joined national, state, local, and Tribal leaders today in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Since 2006, WEAAD has been commemorated to promote awareness and increased understanding of the many forms of elder abuse affecting Americans, as well as the resources available to those at risk.
In a new PSA released today, U.S. Attorney Hurwit highlighted the partnership between law enforcement and the public and emphasized the importance of reporting fraud and abuse affecting older Idahoans.
“My office and the entire Department of Justice are committed to prosecuting those who abuse the elderly, including by financial exploitation, but we need help from our community,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Check-in on older adults who may be vulnerable and look for unusual financial transactions – unexplained withdrawals, purchases of gold bars or cryptocurrency, or uncharacteristic efforts to wire large amounts of money. We want to draw attention to these types of cases, as they can create devastating loss for our older population.”
Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual, or psychological. The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat elder abuse.
The Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force marshals federal and state agencies working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations, and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard online fraud like tech support scams and romance scams.
Using one fraud to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, these criminals recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that are less likely to be notices. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participating in and perpetuating such fraud.
To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes. For example:
- in Social Security Administration Impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and falsely reporting suspicious activity to request that the victims provide their Social Security number for confirmation;
- in tech support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems, ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer, and identify a non-existent problem, then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services; and
- in lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before they can claim their prizes.
To learn more about the Department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.
The District of Idaho continues to work with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute elder abuse crimes.
In August, a Boise couple is scheduled to be sentenced for wire fraud and obstruction of justice relating to defrauding an elderly victim, who was a retired school teacher, out of her home. James and Jessica Dougherty both face up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to court records, James Dougherty and his wife, Jessica Dougherty, moved into a building on the elderly victim’s 46-acre ranch in Boise purportedly to provide the victim with assistance with her ranch and horses in exchange for free rent. Instead, James Dougherty stole her ranch through ostensibly legitimate estate planning documents and kicked her out of her home.
After James and Jessica were arrested in August 2022, and while in pretrial custody, Jessica Dougherty made a call from the Ada County jail and requested that an individual “flash” or “reset” a Dell laptop computer located at the ranch. Within hours, an individual followed Jessica Dougherty’s request and records relevant to the investigation involving the victim were permanently destroyed from the Dell laptop computer.
Jessica Dougherty admitted to knowingly causing the destruction of the records with the intent to obstruct the investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating and prosecuting cases like this to protect older Idahoans and to seek justice for them if they fall prey to wrongdoing. These efforts depend on community members looking out for their loved ones and neighbors and reporting suspected elder fraud or elder abuse.
To report the physical abuse or neglect of elders, and contact local law enforcement or Adult Protective Services (https://aging.idaho.gov/stay-safe/adult-protection/) or 9-1-1 in the case of an emergency.
To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
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Three East Idaho Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the outcomes in two separate East Idaho cases in which three defendants were sentenced to federal prison for trafficking controlled substances.
“Curtailing fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking is a top priority for us in Eastern Idaho and throughout the state,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am thankful to our law enforcement partners who investigated these cases and helped to dismantle these trafficking operations. We will continue to support this important work and make sure that drug traffickers face the justice that they deserve.”
Last month, Jonathan Joseph Monaco, 43, of Pocatello, was sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. Earlier this week, as part of the same case, Eric Charles Weimer, 46, also of Pocatello, was sentenced to 6.5 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court records, on February 4, 2023, Monaco, and his wife (co-defendant Helen Monaco, 38, who was sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison) were traveling from California to Idaho – where they resided – when their vehicle was stopped by law enforcement in Washoe County, Nevada. Law enforcement initially found 65 grams of methamphetamine in the vehicle along with fentanyl, marijuana, and a digital scale. Monaco and his wife were arrested and booked into the Washoe County Jail. While in jail, law enforcement obtained a search warrant to re-search the vehicle and found an additional 4,000 fentanyl pills, and over two pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a void behind the spare tire.
Investigators gathered additional evidence that Monaco, his wife, and co-defendant Weimer were all working together in the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in southeast Idaho, and elsewhere. According to court records, on February 5, 2023, Weimer, was traveling from Idaho to Montana when his vehicle was stopped by law enforcement in Montana. Law enforcement found 453 grams of methamphetamine in the vehicle along with 87 grams of fentanyl.
“Illicit drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine are not only dangerous but cause deep, painful harm to individuals, families and communities," said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “These cases are indicative of the success that can be achieved when agencies work together to put drug traffickers out of business and in prison. We will not tolerate the trafficking of illicit drugs in our communities.”
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Monaco and Weimer be placed on supervised release for five years following their prison sentences.
In a separate case, on June 12, 2024, Jason Lou Gneiting, 45, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 7.5 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine. According to court records, on May 23, 2022, following a year-long narcotics investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Gneiting’s residence and recovered over 15 pounds of methamphetamine.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Gneiting to be placed on supervised release for five years following his prison sentence.
“The ripple effects from drug trafficking harms everyone, devastating communities by fueling violence, addiction, and crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Our federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships allow us a way to keep drug traffickers from endangering people across Idaho.”
The Monaco and Weimer case was investigated by the FBI, the Idaho State Police, the BADGES/HIDTA Taskforce, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada, and the Montana Highway Patrol. The Gneiting case was investigated by the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls, and the Idaho State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted both cases.
The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOISE – Gary Hastler, 67, of Delaware, Ohio, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, the investigation began when the teenaged victim disclosed to the Boise Police Department (BPD) that Hastler had sexually abused her on multiple occasions in the summer of 2022. During the investigation, BPD learned that Hastler had sexually abused another child in Ohio. While investigating the abuse in Ohio, the Delaware Police Department located explicit images of the Idaho victim on Hastler’s cellphone. BPD obtained a federal search warrant for the cellphone and confirmed that Hastler had produced sexually explicit images of the Idaho victim while at a hotel in Boise.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Hastler to a lifetime term of supervised release. Hastler will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
“This case demonstrates the national reach of our efforts to bring to justice those who abuse and exploit children,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “The partnerships we have in Idaho are effective at identifying sex offenders, and we will track them down wherever they may be.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Boise Police Department, the Delaware Police Department, and the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force which led to charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kassandra McGrady prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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 better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Meridian Man Sentenced for Destruction of an Energy Facility After Shooting at Two Idaho Power Hydroelectric Power PlantsRead the Press Release
BOISE – Randy Scott Vail, 59, of Meridian, was sentenced to five years of probation for destruction of an energy facility, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, on June 8, 2023, and continuing into June 9, 2023, Vail shot at the Hells Canyon Dam hydroelectric power station and the Brownlee Dam hydroelectric power station causing power loss and substantial damage to both. The Hells Canyon Dam and the Brownlee Dam are located on the Snake River along the Idaho-Oregon border and were built and are operated by Idaho Power Company. The dams are essential to electricity production, transmission, and storage in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.
Specifically, in the late-night hours of June 8, 2023, Vail arrived on the top of Hells Canyon Dam via motorcycle, loaded a rifle with ammunition and discharged the rifle, shooting at the power substations. As a result, power loss occurred at Hells Canyon Dam. Approximately one hour later, on June 9, 2023, Vail arrived via motorcycle to the Brownlee Dam. Vail again loaded a rifle with ammunition and shot at the dam’s power substations. As a result, large plumes of sparks were visible in the switch yard of the power plant.
Approximately 45 minutes after Vail shot the Brownlee Dam power substations, a sheriff’s deputy encountered Vail on a motorcycle on Highway 71 traveling south towards Cambridge, Idaho. Law enforcement initiated emergency lights and sirens, but Vail failed to yield and increased speed. After approximately three miles, Vail yielded to lights and sirens, and he was taken into custody. During a search and inventory of Vail and the motorcycle, law enforcement located bolt cutters, a guitar case housing two rifles, and live and spent ammunition. Vail also was carrying two yellow compressed air tanks with gasoline with the pressure gauge missing.
In calls to family members while incarcerated, Vail repeatedly stated that the government is “illegitimate” and that he did not recognize the authority of judges, sheriffs, the Governor, or the federal government. In Vail’s own words, he wanted to “make a statement” and stated that “we need a revolution or a civil war.” Based on the investigation, it appears that Vail developed his anti-government ideology, at least in part, after watching and reading online propaganda that discusses anti-government conspiracy theories.
“The defendant’s conduct put at risk our power supply and all aspects of our lives that depend on it,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “The defendant was motivated by anti-law enforcement and anti-government sentiment. Now to be clear: he was prosecuted for his illegal conduct, not his beliefs. Yet, this case shows that our way of life is threatened when people begin to believe that ideology can somehow justify violence. It never does. I am grateful for our local law enforcement partners and the FBI for their work on this case and to Idaho Power for its cooperation. We will continue to work to protect Idaho’s critical infrastructure and to hold wrongdoers accountable.”
“The citizens of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington rely on this infrastructure, and the damage potentially could have been catastrophic,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI and our partners will work diligently to identify, arrest, and hold accountable those who use violence to further ideology.”
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Vail to pay restitution to Idaho Power in the amount of $546,982.46 with the potential for an additional amount to be determined by the Court at a later time. Vail pleaded guilty to the charge on March 7, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended a host of federal, state, and local partners in both Idaho and Oregon, for their combined efforts on this case. The partners include the FBI, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the Adams County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Meridian Police Department, the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Boise Police Department, and the Baker County Sheriff’s Office and Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather S. Patricco and Erin C. Blackadar prosecuted the case, in collaboration with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
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Idaho Falls Couple Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine in Eastern IdahoRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Richard Corey Fox, 54, and Angelina Larae Norton, 61, a couple living in Idaho Falls, were sentenced to over ten years combined for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine in eastern Idaho, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, detectives with the BADGES Task Force initiated an investigation in the summer of 2022 in which they identified Fox and Norton as the source of supply for fentanyl, along with other controlled substances, for other individuals in the region. The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Fox’s vehicle on July 19, 2022. During the stop, law enforcement seized an ounce of methamphetamine and a large amount of U.S. currency. Shortly thereafter, a separate vehicle in which Norton was a passenger was stopped and three-quarters of a pound of methamphetamine was seized. Further investigation uncovered cell phone communications showing that Norton and Fox actively engaged in distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine and were in possession of firearms.
On May 28, 2024, Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Fox to 92 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On December 22, 2023, Judge Nye sentenced Norton to 37 months, almost three years, in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
“This case exemplifies the strong partnerships between our office and law enforcement in rooting out drug distribution in Eastern Idaho,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will spare no effort in removing dangerous drugs from our streets and holding dealers accountable.”
“We appreciate the hard work from all of the agencies that worked in conjunction on this investigation,” said Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei. “This is a testimony of the power of relationships within law enforcement agencies and what can happen when we all work together towards one common goal.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Idaho State Police, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, the Pocatello Police Department, and the Chubbuck Police Department, which participated as part of the HIDTA BADGES Task Force. The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office also participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe H. McLane prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated through the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug gran program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multiagency drug enforcement initiates, including the BADGE Task Force.
The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region.
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Bank Robber Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing American Falls BankRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Steven James Parker, 50, who most recently lived in Gooding, Mountain Home, and Boise, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for the September 1, 2023, robbery of the Bank of Commerce in American Falls, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, on September 1, 2023, a man entered the Bank of Commerce in American Falls, holding a handgun. He charged toward the first teller’s station and pointed a gun directly at the tellers’ faces, ordering them to fill a grocery bag with money. Both tellers put money in the bag and the man left the bank, stating “I’ll be back,” on his way out. Police arrived at the bank and located photos of the robber from cameras in the bank and from nearby businesses and also found photos of the robber’s truck. Photos were circulated on social media and a tipster stated that the robber was Parker. Police went to Parker’s residence in Mountain Home and to his friend’s residence in Boise where they obtained search warrants and located the gun and Parker’s truck used in the robbery. Police also found some of the bank money taken in the robbery.
The 13-year sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill is a combined sentence of six years for the bank robbery and a consecutive seven-year sentence for the use of the gun in the commission of the bank robbery, for a total sentence of 13 years. Judge Winmill also ordered Parker to pay restitution to the bank of $11,106 and to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. He pleaded guilty to the crimes on January 24, 2024.
Parker has three prior convictions for bank robbery, including a 2002 federal conviction and two other state court bank robbery convictions. Parker had been out on parole from state custody for only about five months when he committed the bank robbery in American Falls.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the American Falls Police Department, the Power County Sheriff’s Office, the Power County Prosecuting Attorney’s office, the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Blackfoot Police Department, the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, and the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office to Co-Sponsor “United Against Hate” Summit with the College of IdahoRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit along with The College of Idaho, and the Community Center, are convening a United Against Hate summit on May 13 at The College of Idaho in Caldwell. The event is free and is open to the public. The registration link can be found here: www.eventbrite.com/UAH-Caldwell.
United Against Hate is an initiative launched by the Department of Justice focused on improving efforts to combat hate crimes and hate incidents through relationship building at the local level. Through this endeavor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeks to create and strengthen trust and partnerships among law enforcement, community leaders, and residents. Well‑attended summits have already been held in Coeur d’Alene, Caldwell, Boise, Ketchum, Pocatello, and Sandpoint. This is the second United Against Hate summit hosted at The College of Idaho.
“The United Against Hate initiative continues to resonate and be a priority for our office because Idaho has continued to experience troubling hate incidents,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We are committed to empowering Idahoans to recognize and report hate crimes so that we can enforce the law and work toward communities where everyone can enjoy the protections of our Constitution without fear of being targeted by bigotry and hate.”
The May 13 event will include remarks from local leaders, presentations from prosecutors about hate crimes laws and reporting mechanisms, and speakers who will share their courageous experiences responding to hate, including the response to a recently-prosecuted hate crime targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
“We are thrilled once again to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our community to host the United Against Hate summit,” said Latonia Haney Keith, Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice President of High Impact Practices at The College of Idaho. “Last year’s event was an outstanding success, drawing an engaged audience willing to combat hate and encourage understanding. Events like this provide a critical educational platform to empower our community to take action against bigotry and intolerance, ultimately fostering a safer and more inclusive environment for everyone.”
“I look forward to meeting community members and hearing different perspectives on how we can work together to unite our community in standing up to unlawful hate,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “And I am deeply honored to join with The College of Idaho and our other partners to prioritize this critical mission.”
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Executive Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Monopolize, Rig Bids and Allocate Territories for Wildfire ServicesRead the Press Release
BOISE – The former owner of contractor companies that provided fuel truck services to the U.S. Forest Service’s wildfire fighters pleaded guilty today to conspiring to monopolize, rigging bids and allocating territories in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The plea follows a judicially authorized wiretap investigation that led to the indictment of two executives in December 2023.
According to a plea agreement and superseding information filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho, Ike Tomlinson, 60, of Terreton, conspired with co-defendant Kris Bird, 61, of Salmon, and others in at least two conspiracies. First, from at least as early as March 2015 until about March 2023, Tomlinson conspired to rig bids — and allocate territories — in the market for wildfire-fighting fuel truck services for certain dispatch centers of the U.S. Forest Service’s Great Basin wildfire dispatch region.
Then, from at least as early as February 2020 until about March 2023, Ike Tomlinson and Kris Bird also conspired to monopolize that same market. As summarized in his plea agreement, Tomlinson and his co-conspirators sought to exclude competing vendors from the market and to maintain his power to price higher than he would have otherwise. In March 2023, for example, Tomlinson coordinated his bids with Bird to “squeeze,” “drown,” “punch,” “low ball” and de-prioritize two competing vendors on the Forest Service’s dispatch priority lists.
“Congress criminalized conspiracies to monopolize in 1890 to protect the American promise of free enterprise,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s guilty plea shows that the Justice Department and its Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) partners will deploy every appropriate law enforcement tool — including court-authorized wiretaps — to prosecute blatant monopolistic conduct that harms the public.”
“Agencies like the U.S. Forest Service rely on a fair bidding process to secure the best deal at the best price for taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. “When contractors collude rather than compete, they wrong the public and honest competitors who submitted bids fair and square.”
“The FBI will pursue and find those who would overcharge the federal government and submit false federal certifications,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Contractors who collude with their counterparts will be investigated and held accountable.”
“The defendant rigged prices of their fuel truck services, overcharging the U.S. Forest Service’s wildfire fighters,” said Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s plea agreement shows that there will be serious consequences for executives for conspiring against the federal government. The FBI and our partners are committed to ensuring the American government, and its taxpayers, are not victimized by criminal monopoly schemes.”
A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals and a maximum penalty of a $100 million fine for corporations. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by victims if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.
The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, and FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Matthew Chou and Assistant Chief Christopher J. Carlberg of the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about this investigation or other procurement fraud schemes should notify the PCSF at www.justice.gov/atr/webform/pcsf-citizen-complaint. The Justice Department created the PCSF in November 2019. It is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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California Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOISE – Jason C. Moffat, 41, of San Diego, California, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, the investigation began when the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received a CyberTip from Kik Messenger. A CyberTip is a report submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC gathers leads and tips regarding suspected online crimes against children and forwards them to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. ICAC determined that a Kik account, later identified as belonging to Moffat, had uploaded and distributed child pornography to other users.
ICAC obtained a search warrant for the contents of the Kik account and located numerous videos of child pornography, including depictions of infants and toddlers being sexually abused. ICAC later seized Moffat’s cellphone and examined it pursuant to a search warrant. ICAC located additional files of child pornography on the cellphone, along with messages where Moffat discussed his sexual interest in children.
Moffat lived in Idaho when he possessed and distributed child pornography. He later moved to California, where he was arrested on the charge.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Moffat to 15 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $3,000 in restitution to a victim in the images he possessed. Moffat will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
“The ability to track cyber tips to individual criminals is critical to protecting Idaho’s children,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will continue to rely on our partnership with the ICAC Task Force and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office to remove child predators from our communities.”
“Taking these predators out of our communities is a top priority for my office,” said Attorney General Raúl Labrador. “I’m proud of our ICAC Unit and the dedicated partnerships they have built with agencies across the state and around the country that track down these individuals and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the Idaho ICAC Task Force, the San Diego ICAC Task Force, and the United States Marshals Service, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kassandra McGrady prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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 better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Arizona Man Sentenced to 10.5 Years for Trafficking Fentanyl in PocatelloRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Larry James Little, 58, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to 126 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, in August 2022, BADGES Task Force officers received reliable information that Little and his co-defendant, Adrianne Anderson, 44, also of Phoenix, were distributing fentanyl in Pocatello. After a four-month-long investigation, Anderson and Little were stopped by BADGES Task Force officers after they returned to Idaho from Arizona. BADGES Task Force officers searched the vehicle and located approximately 287 fentanyl pills and a firearm. Another firearm was recovered during a search warrant at a storage unit rented by Little and Anderson. BADGES Task Force officers also intercepted a package that Little and Anderson sent through the U.S. Postal Service that contained two ounces of methamphetamine.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Little to three years of supervised release after the completion of his prison term. On January 31, 2024, Judge Winmill sentenced Anderson to five years in federal prison for her role in the offense. Anderson’s prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Idaho State Police, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, the Pocatello Police Department, and the Chubbuck Police Department, which participated as part of the HIDTA BADGES Task Force. The United States Postal Inspection Service also assisted with this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe H. McLane prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated through the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the BADGES Task Force.
The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region.
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U.S. Attorney Hurwit Releases Public Service Announcement Warning Against Possession of Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
BOISE – Today, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, released a public service announcement, available here, designed to raise awareness on the dangers of illegal machinegun conversion devices, sometimes known as “switches” or “auto-sears.”
A machinegun conversion device is a device that, when integrated with a semiautomatic firearm, will convert it to fire in fully automatic capacity. This conversion of a Glock pistol with a “switch” machinegun conversion device, for example, will result in a rate-of-fire of approximately 1,100 – 1,200 rounds per minute, making these devices exceptionally lethal.
“Glock switches and similar conversion devices are simple to manufacture and are easy to install. They turn regular firearms into machineguns capable of inflicting a tremendous toll in a few split seconds,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will not tolerate the proliferation of the devices on our streets and will use all of our resources to hold accountable anyone who would distribute these deadly and illegal devices.”
“These switches are illegal and serve no safe or useful purpose to a firearms owner,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “We will investigate those who possess these devices. In the past five years alone, ATF has recovered more than 31,000 of these switches.”
The PSA features a trained law enforcement agent demonstrating how these illegal devices turn a firearm into a machine gun that is essentially impossible to control. In the PSA, U.S. Attorney Hurwit also explains that simply possessing a switch can result in significant penalties—up to 10 years in federal prison.
Anyone with information about switches or other federal gun crimes can call 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867).
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Justice Department Strengthens Efforts, Builds Partnerships to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
BOISE – The Justice Department joins its partners across the federal government, as well as people throughout American Indian and Alaska Native communities, in recognizing May 5 as National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day.
In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and other pressing public safety challenges, like the fentanyl crisis, in Tribal communities.
“There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In carrying out our work, we seek to honor those who are still missing, those who were stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who are left with unimaginable pain. Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice. This day challenges all of us at the Justice Department to double down on our efforts, and to be true partners with Tribal communities as we seek to end this crisis.”
“The crisis of missing and murdered indigenous persons continues to impact Idaho’s tribal communities, causing generational pain,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. “We are committed to enhancing our partnerships with Idaho’s tribes to address this unacceptable problem. The new Regional MMIP Prosecutor position in Eastern Washington is an important part of this effort. We look forward to continuing to serve Idaho’s tribes and to seek justice for victims.”
Justice Department Prioritization of MMIP Cases
Last July, the Justice Department announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions.
In Idaho, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will benefit from the Northwest Regional MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorney, Bree Black Horse, who will work out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington and assist on community engagement and prosecutions in Idaho.
The MMIP Regional Outreach Program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to U.S. Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People, and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022.
Not Invisible Act Commission Response
The Department’s work to respond to the MMIP crisis is a whole-of-department effort. In March, the Departments of Justice and the Interior released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The NIAC response, announced by Attorney General Garland during a visit to the Crow Nation, recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States.
Addressing Violent Crime and the Fentanyl Crisis in Indian Country
As noted in the joint response to the NIAC, research suggests that certain public safety challenges faced by many American Indian and Alaska Native communities—including disproportionate violence against women, families, and children; substance abuse; drug trafficking; and labor and sex trafficking—can influence the rates of missing AI/AN persons.
Further, fentanyl poisoning and overdose deaths are the leading cause of opioid deaths throughout the United States, including Indian county, where drug-related overdose death rates for Native Americans exceeds the national rate.
Therefore, federal law enforcement components are ramping up efforts to forge stronger partnerships with federal and Tribal law enforcement partners to address violent crime and the fentanyl crisis, which exposes already vulnerable communities to greater harm. In Idaho, for instance:
- In April 2022, Travis Dewayne Ellenwood, 44, of Kamiah, was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison for second degree murder. According to court records, Ellenwood beat and strangled his girlfriend, Bessie Blackeagle, killing her on October 31, 2020. Ellenwood maintained he was too intoxicated to remember what happened. Ellenwood is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe, as was Ms. Blackeagle. Ms. Blackeagle was 28 at the time of her murder. She was a Nez Perce language speaker and well versed in Nez Perce traditions and customs. Her death has affected many in the tribal community.
- In October 2021, Justin Beasley, 27, of Fort Hall, was sentenced to 327 months in federal prison for second degree murder. According to court records, and evidence presented at trial, on February 3, 2018, Austin Pevo, 23, was dropped off by his mother at a residence on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation for work cutting firewood. Testimony at trial showed that Beasley and others were at the residence at that time. Beasley and Pevo had an argument and Beasley stabbed Pevo twice in the chest with a knife. Beasley and two other men took Pevo’s body to an isolated area in Arbon Valley. Pevo’s family reported him missing and the Fort Hall Police Department investigated but was unable to locate any information on Pevo’s whereabouts.
A witness to the events of February 3, 2018, came forward to the Fort Hall Police in August 2019, and reported that Pevo had died on that date and three men who had been at the house removed his body. The FBI executed a search warrant at the residence and found evidence that Pevo had died there. One of the men who helped hide the body admitted to his involvement and took FBI agents to the location of Pevo’s remains in Arbon Valley. The agents recovered Pevo’s remains along with clothing and other personal items. DNA testing showed that the remains were those of Pevo.
Accessing Department of Justice Resources
Over the past year, the Department awarded $268 million in grants to help enhance Tribal justice systems and strengthen law enforcement responses. These awards have also gone toward improving the handling of child abuse cases, combating domestic and sexual violence, supporting Tribal youth programs, and strengthening victim services in Tribal communities.
For additional information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis, please visit the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons section of the Tribal Safety and Justice website.
Click here for more information about reporting or identifying missing persons.
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Montana Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl Through IdahoRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Quinn Michael Brockman, 34, of Libby, Montana, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Brockman was pulled over in the Coeur d’Alene area while traveling through Idaho with over 216 grams of fentanyl pills that he had recently acquired in the Seattle area. Based on the quantity involved, law enforcement’s investigation, and Brockman’s own statements, the pills had been acquired for the purpose of reselling in Montana.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Brockman to serve three years of supervised release upon the completion of his prison sentence. Brockman pleaded guilty in August 2023.
Fentanyl continues to plague communities throughout the country and these two cases are prime examples of its far-reaching effects. Addiction to fentanyl was a contributing factor behind both of these cases.
“I am grateful for our collaboration with ISP and all law enforcement in North Idaho to remove fentanyl dealers from our state,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Together, we are committed to addressing the fentanyl problem affecting the health of our communities.”
“Our ongoing collaboration with the DEA Task Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is a testament to a joint commitment to community safety,” said Idaho State Police Captain Paul Berger of District 1. “These partnerships significantly amplify our effectiveness and underscore the critical importance of interagency cooperation in addressing our region’s complex challenges. By fortifying our ability to combat crime and upholding the law, we will continue achieving positive results and foster safer communities.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Idaho State Police for their investigation in this case.
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U.S. Attorney Hurwit Highlights Success of Fentanyl Distribution Prosecution Efforts in East IdahoRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the results of six separate distribution of fentanyl cases in Eastern Idaho today.
“The case results announced today reflect stellar work by our prosecutors and staff in our Pocatello branch office,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Together with our law enforcement partners in the region, our office is rising to meet the challenge that fentanyl trafficking poses to communities in Eastern Idaho. The partnerships that drive these cases will continue to make all of Idaho a terrible place for drug dealers to do business.”
1. Pocatello Man Sentenced to 121 Months for Conspiracy and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
In one case, Donny Ray Moreno, 35, of Pocatello, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye to 121 months in federal prison for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court records, law enforcement began investigating Moreno for distributing controlled substances in January 2021. The investigation culminated on November 2, 2021, when law enforcement attempted to stop Moreno in Downey, Idaho. Moreno fled from law enforcement in his vehicle at a high rate of speed. During the 45-minute pursuit, Moreno threw 97 grams of fentanyl and a handgun out of his car window. Law enforcement eventually stopped Moreno and later recovered the fentanyl and other items that had been thrown from Moreno’s vehicle.
Judge Nye also ordered Moreno to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Moreno pleaded guilty to the federal charge in January 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the Idaho State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the BADGES Task Force, for their investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett.
2. California Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
In another case, Andrew Haney, 40, of Torrance, CA, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye to 70 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court records, in May 2023, Haney obtained 2,000 fentanyl pills in California. He disguised them in candy boxes and transported them to Idaho for the purpose of distribution.
Judge Nye also ordered Haney to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Haney pleaded guilty to the federal charge in December 2023.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the BADGES Task Force including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pocatello Police Department, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Idaho State Police for their efforts on this case.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe McLane.
3. Four Additional Fentanyl Dealers Pleaded Guilty; Awaiting Sentencing in July 2024
Additionally, this week in U.S. District Court, four more East Idaho defendants pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking cases involving fentanyl.
- Teyawnna Marie Littlebull, 29, of Idaho Falls, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court records, on three occasions between February and May 2023, Littlebull sold over 200 pills containing fentanyl to another person as part of an investigation led by the Idaho State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the Idaho Falls Police Department, and the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. Littlebull is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2024, at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
- William Brian Thomson, 37, of Menan, ID, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court records, in March 2023, Thomson was pulled over for a traffic violation that resulted in the search of his vehicle. During the search, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office deputies found 2,000 pills containing fentanyl and a solid gray substance that also tested positive for fentanyl. Thomson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2024, at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
- Christopher Bishop, 36, of Pocatello, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A search warrant was served on Bishop’s hotel room in Pocatello in July 2023. BADGES Task Force officers located approximately 1,000 pills containing fentanyl. Bishop is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2024, at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
- Jonely Emanuel Rivera-Doblado, 35, of Taylorsville, UT, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Rivera-Doblado was arrested by BADGES Task Force officers in Malad, ID. Officers found over 4,000 pills containing fentanyl in his possession. Rivera-Doblado is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2024, at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Paskett and Blythe McLane.
The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region.
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