Mountain Home Man Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine

BOISE—Rudolfo Reyes, 25, of Mountain Home, Idaho, was sentenced in United States District Court in Boise today to 52 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Reyes to serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison. He pled guilty to the charge on June 19, 2012.

According to the plea agreement, on July 20, 2010, Reyes, a documented member of the Southside (Sureño) street gang, sold approximately 5.2 grams of methamphetamine for $470 at a residence in Boise. Reyes admitted that he knew the substance he sold was methamphetamine and that he intentionally distributed it. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Western Laboratory in San Francisco, California tested the substance and confirmed that it contained methamphetamine.

“Methamphetamine trafficking, particularly by gang members, is a serious crime that demands a serious response from law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts,” said Olson. “Mr. Reyes will spend more than four years in federal prison for bringing this horribly addictive drug to our community. I commend the multi-agency law enforcement work that produced justice in this case.”

The investigation included the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, which is comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Boise Police Department, the Caldwell Police Department, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Fruitland Police Department, the Idaho Department of Correction, the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, the Meridian Police Department, the Nampa Police Department, the Nyssa Police Department, the Ontario (Oregon) Police Department, the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Reyes was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit treasurevalleypartners.org.

Caldwell Police, FBI Confirm Missing Mom and Three Children Have Crossed Into Mexico

Detectives with the Caldwell Police Department and special agents of the FBI Salt Lake City Division have developed new information today in the disappearance of three Idaho children, who were taken last week by their non custodial mother. Investigative leads confirm all four crossed into Mexico as early as Sunday evening. A witness says the three children appeared to be unharmed and with their mother. They drove across the border in a grey, 4-door, Pontiac 6000 (Nevada license plate number 389XPR). This is the same vehicle they left Idaho in. Law enforcement continues to search for all four, however due to this new information the police department will request the Amber Alerts in Idaho and Nevada be cancelled.

The three children, who were living in foster care in Caldwell, Idaho, were taken by their non custodial mother, 35-year old Bertha Sabala Guerrero, over the weekend. Media and the public in several states were alerted to the disappearance of the children, 5-year-old Esmerelda Guerrero-Lopez (female), 7-year-old Mirella Guerrero-Lopez (female), and 9-year-old Ubaldo Guerrero-Lopez Jr. (male). The investigation shows Guerrero drove through Nevada and Arizona to cross into Mexico.

It is important to note, detectives with the Caldwell Police Department and FBI special agents continue to investigate this case. A state arrest warrant was issued in Idaho for Guerrero that allows for nationwide extradition. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Caldwell Police Department in Idaho at (208) 454-7531.

Eleven Gang Members and Associates Indicted Federally

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BOISE, ID—Six members of a “Norteño,” or Northside, street gang active in the Treasure Valley and four known associates were indicted this week by a federal grand jury, announced U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson. A fifth associate was indicted last month. The grand jury indicted the gang members and associates in 10 separate indictments charging a total of 27 counts of drug trafficking, six counts of unlawfully possessing firearms, four counts of possessing sawed-off shotguns, two counts of transferring sawed-off shotguns, and one count of possessing stolen firearms.

Five of these defendants were arrested earlier today; three others are in custody on state charges; and three remain fugitives. The federal court unsealed the indictments following the arrests. The charges are the result of Treasure Valley gang unit investigations into the activities of Northside gang members. A 14-month investigation by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force produced nine indictments charging a total of 10 defendants. The Boise Police Department’s gang unit conducted the investigation of the 11th case.

The defendants named in the indictments are Nampa, Idaho, residents Francisco Javier Ramirez-Arreola, 37, Jennifer Ann Hillyard, 27, Terra Lee McFetridge, 28, Justin Alfred Nieto, 23, Raul Menchaca, 26, Andres Marcos Trejo,24, Tiffany Ann Stapleton, 30, and John Robert Rodriguez, 20; Boise resident Khesha Marie Freese, 34; and Caldwell, Idaho, residents Baldemar Arteaga, Jr., 27, and Shawn Lynn Gordon, 32.

The indictments against the Northside gang members and associates were only a portion of the federal grand jury’s gun and drug charges this month. The federal grand jury this month also charged Stephen Na, 20, of Santa Rosa, California, an associate of a Norteño gang named “Lokked Out Khmer,” on federal firearms and drug charges. Na was arrested today in California. Also indicted was Kenneth Lee Morgan, 50, of Nampa, for possession of a sawed-off shotgun. Morgan is not a gang member.

Federal drug trafficking charges are generally punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine up to $1 million, and three years of supervised release. Where the defendants are charged with distributing five grams or more of actual methamphetamine, they face a minimum term of five up to 40 years in prison, a fine up to $5 million, and a minimum of four years’ supervised release.

The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years’ supervised release. The charge of possession and transfer of a sawed-off shotgun is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a fine up to $10,000, and three years of supervised release.

“These charges and arrests underscore the collaborative efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement to combat gang crime in Idaho,” said Olson. “We will use every available resource and work together to minimize gun and drug crime and take down the violent street gangs that damage our communities.”

“The Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force deserves recognition for their ongoing commitment to creating safer communities throughout Idaho,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson. “The law enforcement partners who collaborate in this effort have had, and will continue to have, a significant impact on gang violence and criminal activity throughout the region. These most recent indictments and arrests are an excellent example of the work being done to address the gang threat in Idaho. The FBI is proud to partner with the many agencies that contribute to the task force’s mission.”

These investigations and arrests involved the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Idaho National Guard Counterdrug Program, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Owyhee County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Department of Correction, Boise Police Department, Caldwell Police Department, Meridian Police Department, Nampa Police Department, Twin Falls Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The 11 gang members and associates are being prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership, the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The SAUSA has indicted a total of 183 defendants in federal court since the program’s inception in February 2007. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southeast Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit treasurevalleypartners.org.

An indictment is a means of charging a person with criminal activity. It is not evidence. The person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

BOISE — Mathew Grover, 22, of Fruitland, Idaho, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.

According to the plea agreement, Grover is a member of an enterprise called the "Brown Magic Clica," (BMC), a Sureno street gang with members in the Districts of Idaho and Oregon. Grover admitted that he and other members of BMC agreed to participate in the conduct of BMC through a pattern of racketeering activity. BMC members were ordered by the gang’s leaders to engage in criminal activity and to distribute a portion of the profits from the illegal activity to gang members who were incarcerated. Grover admitted that on April 21, 2009, he conspired with co–defendant Juan Gonzales and others to distribute oxycodone, and that he sold two .22 revolvers and a stolen motorcycle to another BMC member. Grover further admitted that on August 28, 2009, he sold three firearms and methamphetamine to a BMC member. At the time Grover possessed the firearms, he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms. The charge of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise is punishable by up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years supervised release. The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm carries up to ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years supervised release.

Sentencing is set for January 9, 2012.

A jury trial is set on December 6, 2011, for the remaining defendants named in the federal indictment – Salvador Apodaca, 24, of Pendleton, Oregon, Alfredo Castro, 35, of Boise, Oscar Garcia, 24, of Umatilla, Oregon, Adam Gomez, 23, of Boise, Adelaido Gomez, 26, of Boise, Juan Gonzalez, 26, of Cottonwood, Juan Jimenez, 27, of Boise, Jessie Rodriguez, 26, of Nyssa, Samson Torres, 23, of Ontario, and Amando Torres, 27, of Pendleton.

The federal racketeer influenced corrupt organizations () law prohibits individuals from participating, or conspiring to participate, in the conduct of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity. An enterprise is defined as any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity, and any union or group of individuals associated in fact although not a legal entity. Racketeering activity is defined as specified criminal acts, including murder, arson, distribution of controlled substances, and intimidation and retaliation against witnesses.

Operation Black Magic included the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Boise Police Department, the Caldwell Police Department, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Department of Corrections, the Malheur County Sheriff's Office, the Meridian Police Department, the Nampa Police Department, the Nyssa Police Department, the Ontario Police Department, the Oregon State Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The investigation is ongoing.

Operation Black Magic is being prosecuted federally by Assistants U.S. Attorney and the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southeast Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit treasurevalleypartners.org.