Eleventh and Final Defendant Sentenced in Large Drug Conspiracy

BOISE — John Matthew Caviness, Jr., 35, of Caldwell, Idaho, was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for his role in helping to distribute methamphetamine and other drugs throughout the Treasure Valley, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael Gonzalez announced. Caviness and ten others were indicted on December 8, 2015, by a federal grand jury in Boise. On February 23, 2017, Caviness pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to distribute controlled substances. Caviness’ sentencing brings the case to a close as the other ten defendants were already sentenced.

The case began in January 2015 when Elizabeth Gaytan sold methamphetamine to undercover police officers on numerous occasions. Investigators later learned that Stacy Duane Wilfong was Gaytan’s source of supply and the leader of a larger group of individuals who distributed drugs throughout the Treasure Valley. Investigators applied for and received a court order that authorized the interception of Wilfong’s telephone communications. During the course of approximately twenty days, Wilfong made hundreds of calls to his co-conspirators related to the distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, pills including oxycodone and hydromorphone, and a synthetic controlled substance Alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone, known as "a-PVP."

The other ten defendants who already pleaded guilty and were sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge at the federal courthouse in Boise are:

• Stacy Duane Wilfong, 40, of Nampa, leader of the conspiracy, sentenced on October 4, 2016, to 220 months in prison;

• Elizabeth Ann Gaytan, 37, Nampa, sentenced on July 28, 2016, to 100 months in prison;

• Jason Lee Burgess, 44, of Garden City, sentenced on February 22, 2017, to 84 months in prison;

• Adam William Dillon, 28, Nampa, sentenced on March 8, 2017, to 74 months in prison;

• Anthony “Tony” Kitchen, from Nampa, sentenced on October 5, 2016, to 71 months in prison;

• David Anthony Wales, 31, Boise, sentenced on June 14, 2017, to 60 months in prison;

• Isela F. Garza, 36, Nampa, sentenced on November 10, 2016, to 48 months in prison;

• Regina Wade, 50, Boise, sentenced on August 9, 2016, to 41 months in prison;

• Jocelin Jessica Gonzalez, 19, Nampa, sentenced on July 28, 2016, to 40 months in prison; and

• Breeannyn Nicole Pederson, 25, Parma, sentenced on November 15, 2016, to 18 months in prison.

This case was the result of a joint investigation by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force and the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force is comprised of federal, state and local agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Boise Police Department; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Caldwell Police Department; Nampa Police Department; Meridian Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; and Idaho Department of Probation and Parole. The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), includes the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.

The case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit treasurevalleypartners.org.