2 Idaho meth distributors sentenced

POCATELLO, Idaho — Two Idaho men were sentenced Wednesday to more than six years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, following an investigation by the Idaho Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Anthony Juarez, 31, of Nampa, received 76 months in prison and his co-conspirator Jose Juarez, 33, of Rupert, was sentenced to 72 months in prison. According to the plea agreements, on July 24, 2013, Anthony Juarez agreed to meet with an undercover officer in Burley, where it was agreed methamphetamine would be sold to the officer. Later that day, Jose Juarez drove Anthony Juarez and another co-defendant to the meeting at a Burley restaurant, and they sold the undercover officer six ounces of methamphetamine.

The case was the result of a joint OCDETF investigation, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, in conjunction with HSI, the Canyon County Narcotics Unit, the Meridian Police Department, Ada County Sheriff's Office, Idaho State Police and the Mini-Cassia Drug Task Force. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Idaho District prosecuted the case.

The OCDETF program is a federal multiagency task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.