Idaho Falls pair plead guilty to meth trafficking charges
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POCATELLO — An Idaho Falls man and woman have pleaded guilty to intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Nicholas Levi Olsen, 34, and Chanel Lynn Bistodeau, 32, pleaded guilty in federal court this week to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The pair were indicted on April 25 by a federal grand jury in Pocatello.
According to court records, Olsen and Bistodeau caught the attention of police in March while driving in Blackfoot. Olsen and Bistodeau parked at an apartment complex, where Bistodeau ran, and Olsen walked away from the car. The police caught up with Olsen, walked Olsen back to the car and had Olsen empty $730 in cash from his pocket. Shortly thereafter, Olsen ran. The police were unable to catch Olsen or Bistodeau.
According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, when police searched the car, they found about 10 ounces of methamphetamine, three pistols and drug paraphernalia. On April 15, police arrested Olsen and Bistodeau at the Fairbridge Inn in Idaho Falls. Police found another pistol, about 8 grams of methamphetamine and more than 4 grams of heroin.
The charge for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine is punishable by a term of imprisonment of 10 years to life, a $10 million fine, and at least five years of supervised release. Sentencing is set for Jan. 18 before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
According to a news release, the case was investigated through the combined efforts of the Bingham County Prosecutor’s Office, the Blackfoot Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Eastern Idaho Partnership. The Eastern Idaho Partnership is a collaborative effort among local communities, law enforcement, the State of Idaho and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.
“I applaud all of the agencies involved in this investigation and prosecution for a job well done,” said Bingham County Prosecutor Cleve Colson, who is also the chair of the Eastern Idaho Partnership, in the news release. “The prosecution of Chanel Bistodeau and Nicholas Olsen through the Eastern Idaho Partnership is a clear illustration of its effectiveness in creating stronger and safer communities in eastern Idaho. The partnership has been a tremendous success, and I look forward to its continued growth.”