Three East Idaho men sentenced to prison for trafficking meth and fentanyl

The pursuing is simply a news merchandise from nan U.S. Attorney’s Office (Idaho).

POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced nan outcomes successful 2 abstracted East Idaho cases successful which 3 defendants were sentenced to national situation for trafficking controlled substances.

“Curtailing fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking is simply a apical privilege for america successful Eastern Idaho and passim nan state,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I americium thankful to our rule enforcement partners who investigated these cases and helped to dismantle these trafficking operations. We will proceed to support this important activity and make judge that supplier traffickers look nan justness that they deserve.”

Last month, Jonathan Joseph Monaco, 43, of Pocatello, was sentenced to complete 15 years successful national situation for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. Earlier this week, arsenic portion of nan aforesaid case, Eric Charles Weimer, 46, besides of Pocatello, was sentenced to 6.5 years successful national situation for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl.

According to tribunal records, connected February 4, 2023, Monaco, and his woman (co-defendant Helen Monaco, 38, who was sentenced to complete 15 years successful national prison) were walking from California to Idaho – wherever they resided – erstwhile their conveyance was stopped by rule enforcement successful Washoe County, Nevada. Law enforcement initially recovered 65 grams of methamphetamine successful nan conveyance on pinch fentanyl, marijuana, and a integer scale. Monaco and his woman were arrested and booked into nan Washoe County Jail. While successful jail, rule enforcement obtained a hunt warrant to re-search nan conveyance and recovered an further 4,000 fentanyl pills, and complete 2 pounds of methamphetamine hidden successful a void down nan spare tire.

Investigators gathered further grounds that Monaco, his wife, and co-defendant Weimer were each moving together successful nan distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl successful southeast Idaho, and elsewhere. According to tribunal records, connected February 5, 2023, Weimer, was walking from Idaho to Montana erstwhile his conveyance was stopped by rule enforcement successful Montana. Law enforcement recovered 453 grams of methamphetamine successful nan conveyance on pinch 87 grams of fentanyl.

“Illicit narcotics for illustration fentanyl and methamphetamine are not only vulnerable but origin deep, achy harm to individuals, families and communities,” said Special Agent successful Charge Shohini Sinha of nan Salt Lake City FBI. “These cases are suggestive of nan occurrence that tin beryllium achieved erstwhile agencies activity together to put supplier traffickers retired of business and successful prison. We will not tolerate nan trafficking of illicit narcotics successful our communities.”

Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill besides ordered Monaco and Weimer beryllium placed connected supervised merchandise for 5 years pursuing their situation sentences.

In a abstracted case, connected June 12, 2024, Jason Lou Gneiting, 45, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 7.5 years successful national situation for trafficking methamphetamine. According to tribunal records, connected May 23, 2022, pursuing a year-long narcotics investigation, rule enforcement executed a hunt warrant astatine Gneiting’s residence and recovered complete 15 pounds of methamphetamine.

Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill besides ordered Gneiting to beryllium placed connected supervised merchandise for 5 years pursuing his situation sentence.

“The ripple effects from supplier trafficking harms everyone, devastating communities by fueling violence, addiction, and crime,” said Special Agent successful Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations successful nan Pacific Northwest. “Our federal, state, and section rule enforcement partnerships let america a measurement to support supplier traffickers from endangering group crossed Idaho.”

The Monaco and Weimer lawsuit was investigated by nan FBI, nan Idaho State Police, nan BADGES/HIDTA Taskforce, nan Washoe County Sheriff’s Office successful Nevada, and nan Montana Highway Patrol. The Gneiting lawsuit was investigated by nan Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, nan Idaho Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations successful Idaho Falls, and nan Idaho State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted some cases.