Nampa Man Sentenced to 75 Months in Prison for Drug and Gun Charges

BOISE – Guadalupe Serrano, 36, of Nampa, Idaho, was sentenced today to 15 months for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and was sentenced to an additional 60 months consecutive for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.  U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Serrano to serve three years of supervised release following his 75 month prison term.  Serrano pleaded guilty to the charges on February 11, 2015.

According to information presented in court, Nampa police officers stopped a black BMW Serrano was driving on June 19, 2014.  A police drug-detection dog sniffed the BMW and alerted to the odor of illegal drugs.  During a later search of the BMW, officers located two baggies containing methamphetamine, a digital scale, $10,200, two loaded firearms, and ammunition.  The firearms were identified as a Bersa, .380 ACP pistol, and a Glock, 9 millimeter pistol.  Serrano admitted that the firearms were stolen.

Serrano’s case is part of a larger long-term investigation by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force.  The investigation focused on the “Norteno” Northside gang, which is active in Nampa and other parts of the Treasure Valley.  Fourteen individuals were indicted on drug and gun charges as a result of the investigation.  Serrano was the first to be sentenced.  Four others have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing including Jose Manuel Menchaca, 35, Nicole Danelle Nieto, 31, Brandi Marie Larrea, 31, and Tara Noelle Rivera, 30, all from Nampa.  Guillermo Farias Jr., 29, also from Nampa has signed a plea agreement and is awaiting a court hearing to enter his guilty plea.  Five others are scheduled for trial including Johhny Lee Martinez, 33, Michael David Bradshaw, 31, Richard Lobato, 51, all from Nampa, Isaac Bright, 21, from Caldwell, and Kenny P. Breedlove, 35, from California.  Three other defendants have outstanding warrants, including Jose Enrique Olvera Jr., 51, Ruben Rodriguez, 36, and Veronica Cantu, 26, all from Nampa.

This case and the other related cases are 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.