Fentanyl traffickers in east Idaho sentenced to federal prison
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Josh Hurwit announced the result of two separate fentanyl trafficking cases in eastern Idaho Thursday.
An Arizona man was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and a Pocatello man was sentenced to three years in federal prison for assisting in the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
On July 11, 2023, Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Marco Antonio Osuna, 28, of Tuscon, Arizona, to nine years in in federal prison with five years of supervised release to follow. According to court records, Osuna was initially arrested on August 7, 2022, after officers with the Pocatello Police Department contacted Osuna and found nearly 6,000 pills containing fentanyl in his possession, as well as two firearms. Osuna was also linked to a canister containing 3,000 fentanyl pills that was found on the popular Lower City Creek Trail recreation area. Osuna pleaded guilty to the charge on January 19, 2023.
In a separate case, Derek Ross, 41, of Pocatello, was initially arrested on March 20, 2022, after detectives with the Pocatello Police Department, along with other members of the BADGES Task Force, initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Ross was a passenger. Levi McGraw, 32, of American Falls, was the driver. Task force officers executed a search warrant on the vehicle and located three pounds of methamphetamine, 4,000 fentanyl pills, and two firearms.
On July 11, 2023, Judge Winmill sentenced Ross to three years in federal prison with five years of supervised release to follow for his role in assisting in the offense. Ross pleaded guilty to the charge on April 10, 2023. On May 22, 2023, McGraw was sentenced by Judge Winmill to 10 years in federal prison with five years of supervised release to follow. McGraw pleaded guilty to the charge on January 9, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Pocatello Police Department and Idaho State Police, both of whom are members of the BADGES Task Force, which led to the charges.
The BADGES Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. BADGES Task Force is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) which is composed of members from the Idaho State Police, Pocatello Police Department, Bannock County Sheriff’s Department, Chubbuck Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
