BOISE – Jose Luis Arteaga, 26, of Rupert, Idaho, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of an unregistered sawed-off shotgun, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also imposed a $1,000 fine. Arteaga pleaded guilty to the charges on December 5, 2011.

According to the plea agreement, Arteaga admitted that between September 1 and December 15, 2010, he conspired with others to distribute in excess of 50 grams of methamphetamine. When interviewed by law enforcement, Arteaga admitted to distributing methamphetamine in Burley and Rupert, Idaho. He stated that he infrequently used methamphetamine, but was addicted to the money he made from selling the drug. Arteaga also admitted to possessing a sawed-off shotgun, which he sold to an undercover police officer. Arteaga previously admitted to law enforcement that he was a member of the Southside Sureño Trece gang in Rupert and Burley, Idaho.

Two co-conspirators were sentenced earlier on related drug charges. Rigaberto Moreno Sanchez, of Rupert, was sentenced on September 12, 2011, to 168 months in prison. Leaha Rivera, also of Rupert, was sentenced on October 11 to 108 months. Abel Ortega, of Burley, Idaho, pled guilty on December 6 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on March 19.

“Methamphetamine is a dangerous, addictive drug that affects all of Idaho's communities, from our biggest cities to more rural areas,” said Olson. “This office and its law enforcement partners at the federal, state and local level will use all available tools to ensure that methamphetamine traffickers are caught and punished.”

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Boise Police Department.