Idaho woman in multi-state drug ring sentenced to prison

The following is a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.

COEUR D’ALENE — Robin Jo Rose, 31, of Lewiston, Idaho, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by ten years of supervised release, for her role in distributing methamphetamine, U. S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Senior U. S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered that Rose forfeit $7,000 in cash. Rose pleaded guilty to the charge on November 30, 2017.

Rose is one of seven individuals under federal indictment in a multistate drug ring. The investigation initially centered on methamphetamine and heroin dealers within Lewiston, Clarkston, and the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. The investigation expanded to distributors bringing methamphetamine and heroin into Idaho from Oregon and Washington. Four other defendants linked to the drug ring have already been sentenced:

· Salvador Saucedo, 27, of Milton-Freewater, Oregon, was sentenced on September 27, 2017, to 10 years in federal prison;

· Brice Heimgartner, 25, of Clarkston, Washington, was sentenced on September 29, 2017, to 37 months in federal prison;

· Andrew Byers, 28, of Craigmont, Idaho, was sentenced on November 30, 2017, to 10 years in federal prison;

· Kyle Seidel, 32, of Lewiston, Idaho, was sentenced on February 1, 2018, to 10 years in federal prison.

Law enforcement officers seized over 1,000 grams of pure methamphetamine, heroin, guns and cash, during searches and arrests occurring in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. The Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office coordinated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring several of these individuals into federal custody.

“I am very thankful for the effort of our local law enforcement agencies, the FBI, and the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Our partnership is effectively removing drug dealers from the community and having a serious impact,” said Nez Perce County Prosecutor, Justin Coleman.

“I am grateful for the city, county, state, and federal collaboration, investigation and prosecution, that makes outcomes like this one possible,” said U.S. Attorney Bart Davis. “Our local communities and nation are experiencing a drug epidemic. Work like this is the beginning of a safer, stronger and healthier Idaho.”

Several local, state and federal agencies participated in the investigation and prosecution, including: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office, Lewiston Police Department, Idaho State Police, Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team, and the Quad Cities Drug Task Force.

The prosecution is brought under the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task force (OCDETF). 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.