Emiliano Tito Cortez, 26, a member of the Northside gang, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge to 24 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. Cortez pled guilty to the charge on October 4, 2010.

At his plea hearing, Cortez admitted possessing a firearm in Nampa in September of 2009. Where Cortez had previously been convicted of a felony crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year, he was further prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.

Cortez’s case was investigated by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force. His prosecution was part of Idaho’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, which seeks to reduce gun violence in Idaho.

Cortez was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho, and housed in the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office, to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership comprises a group of elected officials in southeast Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit www.treasurevalleypartners.org.