Lewiston man sentenced to 10 years for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (KIFI) – A Lewiston man was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

According to evidence presented in court, and in court documents, Ricky Dale Faulkner, 57, was arrested when task force officers executed a search warrant at his residence and seized over one pound of methamphetamine, cash, and a handgun.  Faulkner’s cell phone was also seized and data on the phone showed that Faulkner was distributing methamphetamine to people in the Lewiston, Idaho, and Clarkson, Washington, area.

Senior Ninth Circuit Judge Richard C. Tallman, sitting as a U.S. District Court judge, also ordered Faulkner to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.  Faulkner pleaded guilty to the charge on April 8, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit made the announcement and commended the cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force, Quad Cities Drug Task Force and the Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office. 

The Quad Cities Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional group of law enforcement officers working together to target drug trafficking in Lewiston and Moscow, Idaho, and Clarkston and Pullman, Washington.  Task force members include the Lewiston Police Department, Clarkston Police Department, Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office, Moscow Police Department, Latah County Sheriff’s Office, Asotin County Sheriff’s Office, Whitman County Sheriff’s Office, and Washington State Police.  The Quad Cities Drug Task Force worked collaboratively with the North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force in this and other cases.

The North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force (NIVCTF) is an FBI led task force with law enforcement officers from Lewiston Police Department, Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office, Grangeville Police Department, Nez Perce Tribe Police Department, and Idaho State Police.  The mission of the NIVCTF is to identify and target for prosecution criminal enterprise groups and individuals responsible for crimes of violence and the manufacture and distribution of illegal narcotics.