COEUR D'ALENE – Javier G. Mendoza Valazco, 28, of Grangeville, Idaho, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge to 21 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release and 50 hours of community service for misprision of a felony, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Misprision of a felony occurs when a person knows of the actual commission of a federal offense, does not report it to the authorities, and takes some step to conceal or hide the offense.

Mendoza Valazco pleaded guilty to the charge on October 31, 2011. According to the plea agreement, between January 1 and September 2010, Mendoza Valazco, who shared a home in Lewiston with Autumn Phillips and Adolfo Ascencio-Bautista, became aware that the two were conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, a felony offense. According to the plea agreement, Mendoza Valazco admitted that he was a passenger in a vehicle when Phillips and Ascencio-Bautista traveled to another state to pick up methamphetamine. He also admitted that he was present when methamphetamine was delivered by Phillips and Ascencio-Bautista to third parties. According to the plea agreement, Mendoza Valazco attempted to conceal his knowledge of the crimes by helping to move a large quantity of money and methamphetamine into a backyard storage area.

In the related case, Ascencio-Bautista was sentenced on November 15, 2011, to 126 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Phillips was sentenced on September 9 to five years probation. According to court documents, the defendants were ordered to forfeit $200,000, including cash and property.

The case was investigated by Idaho State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).