Two Idaho Men Sentenced for their Roles in Separate Drug Trafficking Conspiracies

BOISE – Oscar Javier Rosas, 23, of Wendell, Idaho and Michael Ray Stone, 25, of Twin Falls, Idaho, were sentenced this week in United States District Court for their roles in separate drug trafficking conspiracies, Acting United States Attorney Rafael Gonzalez announced. Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge sentenced Rosas to 33 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and Stone to 51 months for distribution of methamphetamine.

These cases were prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funding provided by the Idaho extension of the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. Created by Congress in 1988, the HIDTA program serves as a catalyst for coordination among federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, and Malheur County.

In June of 2015, the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA, in collaboration with the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office and the Idaho U.S. Attorney’s Office, hired the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to facilitate the prosecution of regional drug trafficking organizations identified by drug enforcement task forces in the Treasure Valley. The Special AUSA coordinates with local prosecuting offices and the drug enforcement task forces to federally prosecute cases that fall within or affect the HIDTA areas.

The Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the HIDTA program has facilitated the prosecution of 39 drug trafficking cases which has resulted in 51 individuals being convicted and sentenced for drug trafficking crimes. These prosecutions underscore the efforts of both local and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors in Idaho working together at every level to make our communities safer from drug trafficking crime.