Ten Co-Defendants Await Sentencing on Related Drug Charges

BOISE – U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced today that three members of a Southwest Idaho drug trafficking organization were sentenced to serve federal prison sentences for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The defendants appeared before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Boise.

Jacob James Clevenger, 31, of Weiser, Idaho, was sentenced to 188 months; Mario Martinez, Jr., 55, of Greenleaf, Idaho, to 57 months; and Fabian Jordano Beltran, 23, also of Weiser, to 36 months in prison. The defendants were each ordered to serve five years of supervised release after their prison term. Clevenger and Martinez pleaded guilty in October 2012; Beltran pleaded guilty in July.

According to court documents, from early November 2011 through May 16, 2012, the defendants conspired with others, including co-defendants, to distribute a total of approximately 11 pounds of methamphetamine in Canyon, Payette and Washington counties in Idaho.

Seven co-defendants pleaded guilty last year to related drug trafficking charges and are currently awaiting sentencing. Patric Campbell and Benjamine L. Vertner are set for sentencing on February 25; Amber Hites on February 26; Kristopher Hensley, Johnathan E. Chapman, and Johnny A. Tambunga on February 27; and Dawson Lee Moore on March 27.

On January 22, three co-defendants were convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Jesus Guadalupe Sanchez a/k/a Jose Salazar, a Mexican national, Michael Dennis Morris, and Jim Allen Loveland are scheduled to be sentenced on April 8. Sanchez was also convicted of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

The case was investigated by the Idaho State Police.