Three Methamphetamine Traffickers Sentenced to Federal Prison

BOISE – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced the results of three separate drug trafficking prosecutions in Southern Idaho.

Christopher Lee Hatcher, 68, of California, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Hatcher to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. According to court records, Hatcher transported several pounds of methamphetamine from California to Idaho for distribution. 

In a separate case, Ricky Dee Sedlacek, 63, of Caldwell, Idaho, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court records, Sedlacek sold more than a quarter pound of methamphetamine over multiple transactions in Oregon and Idaho. Investigators contacted Sedlacek during a traffic stop as he was on his way back from Oregon to pick up a supply of drugs. Investigators found a pound of methamphetamine in his possession, which he had tried to conceal during the traffic stop. 

In a third case, Steven Lyle Ressler, 52, of Pendleton, Oregon, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, investigators became aware that Ressler was selling drugs in Oregon and the Treasure Valley. Investigators intercepted Ressler as he crossed the border from Oregon to Idaho. During the traffic stop, investigators located approximately a pound of methamphetamine in Ressler’s vehicle.

U.S. District Judge Davd C. Nye also ordered both Ressler and Sedlacek to serve four years of supervised release following each of their respective prison sentences. 

U.S. Attorney Davis commended the collaborative effort of the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to disrupt drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our community. 

The cases involving Sedlacek and Ressler were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nampa Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the City County Narcotics Unit, the Idaho State Police Department, the Oregon High Desert Drug Task Force, and the Oregon State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted the cases.

These investigations were supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, which is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. 

The case involving Hatcher was investigated by the Idaho State Police, Owyhee County Sherriff’s Office, and Boise Police Department, with assistance from the Owyhee County Prosecutor’s Office and the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Kelsey Manweiler, who was a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership, Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office, 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.

The Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; United States Postal Inspector Services; Department of Homeland Security Investigations; Caldwell Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; and the Idaho Department of Correction – Probation and Parole.

###