Man goes to prison for selling spice drug
A Pocatello man got three years behind bars on a money-laundering charge Thursday.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho said Judge N. Randy Smith of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, who was sitting as a district court judge, sentenced John D. Heim, 41, to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and 100 hours of community service after he’s released from prison.
Heim pleaded guilty to conspiracy to laundry money in September of last year.
The attorney’s office said between March 1 and Sept. 14, 2013, Heim owned and operated Heim Inc., a business that sold spice, a synthetic marijuana.
Heim admitted he and others engaged in transcations of more than $10,000 from funds derived from the illegal sale and distribution of spice. According to the plea agreement, that amount was $163,534.
Because of Heim’s conviction, he is forfeiting property he owned in Pocatello and American Falls to the government.
The case was investigated by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
