Canyon County Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years for Distributing Cocaine and Methamphetamine

BOISE – Tyler J. Pierce, 31, of Caldwell, was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison for distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.

According to court records, in June 2022, City County Narcotics Unit officers received information that Pierce was distributing controlled substances in Canyon County.  On three occasions in June and August 2023 Pierce sold a total of 3.24 grams of cocaine and 361.99 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover police officer.  After Pierce was arrested on an Idaho Department of Correction Agent’s Warrant, he made several calls to his spouse in which they discussed deleting digital evidence material to his case.  On the calls, Pierce threatened the life of the undercover officer.  Pierce received a sentencing enhancement related to obstructing or impeding the administration of justice.

Pierce has a lengthy criminal history, which includes felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, grand theft, and eluding law enforcement.

Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Pierce to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence.  Pierce pleaded guilty on February 27, 2024.

“Having been caught selling poisoning drugs on our streets, this defendant doubled down on his criminal conduct by threatening the life of an undercover law enforcement officer who helped to bring him to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit.  “Just as we will not tolerate drug trafficking in Idaho, we will hold accountable anyone who threatens the brave men and women in law enforcement who help keep us all safe.”

“This is another example of unity, collaboration, and persistence.  I am so proud of our partnerships with our federal counterparts, which continue to pay dividends for all Idahoans by ensuring they can live safely and pursue happiness,” said Caldwell Chief of Police Rex Ingram.

“This case is one example that highlights the prevalence of drugs in our state and the need for Task Force officers like those in the Canyon County Narcotics Unit to risk their lives trying to address this growing threat,” said Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue. “Almost all of these illicit drugs come through our Southern Border through the work of Transcontinental Criminal Organizations (TCOs) like the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels, and we must continue to the fight to hold accountable those who are involved with spreading this poison on our streets. That includes individuals like Tyler Pierce, but we also must hold those accountable who are complicit in the vast criminal networks responsible for bringing illicit drugs here to Idaho, like international bad actors in China and Mexico.”

U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the City County Narcotics Unit, which is comprised of officers from the Canyon County Sheriff's Office and the Caldwell Police Department.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie C. Chong prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program.  HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position.

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