Man Pleads Guilty To Assaulting Jail Deputy

BOISE – Scott Vincente Hernandez, 42, of Oakland, California, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to assaulting an Ada County Sheriff’s Deputy, announced U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson.

On July 9, 2013, Hernandez and ten others were indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The court ordered that Hernandez be held in custody while that case was pending. Hernandez was committed to the custody of the United States Marshal and confined at the Ada County Jail pursuant to an agreement between the U.S. Marshal and the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. Hernandez admitted in court today that on October 16, 2013, while incarcerated at the Ada County Jail, he assaulted an Ada County Jail Deputy.

U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge will sentence Hernandez on both the drug and assault charges on September 9, 2014. The charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine is punishable by a minimum of five years and up to twenty years in prison, a maximum fine of $5 million, and at least four years of supervised release. The assault charge is punishable by up to one year in prison, a maximum fine of $100,000, and up to one year of supervised release.

The drug charges were investigated by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, which 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 assault charge was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Ada County Sheriff’s Office.

The cases are being 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.