Out-of-state drug traffickers prosecuted in federal court
BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) – Three out-of-state individuals were recently prosecuted in federal court for bringing illicit drugs into the Magic Valley area, announced U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit Monday.
“These prosecutions reflect that the people of Idaho will not tolerate drug traffickers bringing their poisons into our communities,” U.S. Attorney Hurwit said. “The strong partnerships we have between federal, state, and local law enforcement are the backbone of our counter-drugs program and will continue to make a positive impact statewide.”
According to court records, on Dec. 14, 2022, 47-year-old Brian David Schroeder of Arizona pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute them to others. In September, Schroeder was stopped by sheriff’s deputies while driving on Highway 93 through Jerome, Idaho. After deputies observed a marijuana dispensary container in the car, a search was conducted. Inside the car was approximately 3.25 pounds of fentanyl, 3.15 pounds of methamphetamine, and a loaded 9mm handgun. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid responsible for an increase in overdose deaths in Idaho. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 15, 2023, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye.
Incidents of out-of-state individuals transporting drugs into Idaho have become all too common.
Earlier this month, on December 9, 2022, 46-year-old Cortez Williams of Reno, Nevada was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill after he was caught traveling from Nevada to Idaho with the plan to distribute six pounds of methamphetamine to an individual in the Magic Valley. Police found the drugs hidden between the trunk liner and fender of his car. Williams had at least five prior convictions for drug trafficking at the time of his sentencing.
On November 9, 2022, 44-year-old Fabian Panuco Clark of Yuma County, Arizona was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison by Judge Winmill for attempting to traffic drugs in Idaho. After Clark fled to Idaho to avoid arrest in Arizona, he was located in Twin Falls and found in possession of approximately 900 pills containing fentanyl, over 200 grams of methamphetamine, and a loaded handgun. After being booked into the Twin Falls County Jail, Clark again attempted to bring drugs into Idaho by arranging for another person to drive to Nevada to obtain more methamphetamine. Police were able to interdict this shipment of methamphetamine before it could be brought back to Idaho for distribution.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Idaho State Police, Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, Twin Falls Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, Jerome County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, for their work on these cases.
