Twin Falls Man Sentenced For Money Laundering Related To The Sale Of Spice

POCATELLO - Allen W. Nagel, 45, of Twin Falls, Idaho, was sentenced today to five years of probation, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Nagel to pay a $500 fine and forfeit numerous pieces of property in the Magic Valley. Nagel pleaded guilty to the charge on June 26, 2013.

According to the plea agreement, between March 1, 2011, and October 1, 2011, the defendant owned and operated A & J Distribution with other individuals including co-defendant Josh Becker. During this time period, in various states including Idaho, A & J Distribution distributed for further sale brands of smokeable material commonly referred to as spice under the “Hayze” label. This material contained a Schedule I controlled substance analogue. Nagel knew this material was for human consumption.

Becker and Nagel received money from the sale of the material and engaged in monetary transactions using the funds derived from the sales. The transactions, some in excess of $10,000, included transfers, withdrawals, and deposits through a Twin Falls bank. According to the plea agreement, the total funds involved in the monetary transactions derived from the specific unlawful activity are not more than $400,000.

This was part of joint investigation of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), is led by the Drug Enforcement Administration in conjunction with Twin Falls City Police Department, Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Idaho State Police, Ada County Sheriff's Office, Nampa City Police Department, Meridian City Police Department, Gooding County Sheriff's Office, Cassia County Sheriff's Office, and Minidoka County Sheriff's Office.

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.