Pocatello man given lengthy federal prison sentence for selling drugs in eastern Idaho
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POCATELLO — After a jury found him guilty of drug trafficking, a Pocatello man was sentenced to federal prison.
Kacey Franklin James, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill to 192 months (16 years) in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine, LSD, and Psilocybin mushrooms in eastern Idaho.
According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney District of Idaho office, in January, a jury found James guilty of three counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, LSD, and Psilocybin, two counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
During sentencing, James was ordered to pay a $500 fine, and given a five-year term of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The case
According to our previous reporting, in February 2023, Idaho State Police troopers were informed by a confidential informant (CI) that James was selling drugs at his home.
Shortly thereafter, the CI purchased the drugs from James for $100.
Troopers and Pocatello police officers conducted surveillance on James following the purchase, and over the next few weeks, the task force, through CIs, made several more drug purchases from James.
On Oct. 4, 2023, troopers, along with members of the BADGES Task Force — a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force — served a search warrant at James’ residence, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Troopers waited for James to leave the residence before serving the warrant and conducted a traffic stop on James’ Jeep Grand Cherokee in the 600 block of West Quinn Road.
Inside the Jeep, troopers found 13 ecstasy pills, which James allegedly admitted belonged to him.
While searching the home, officers found more than 40.6 pounds of marijuana, 2.7 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, 110.5 grams of MDMA, 37.8 grams of Ecstasy pills, 22.2 grams of LSD tabs, 788.7 grams of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine pills, 20.2 grams of methamphetamine, 293.8 grams of MDMA pills, 847 Xanax pills, six morphine sulfate pills, and 37 THC vape cartridges, the affidavit says.
Officers also found $14,833 in cash and a .380 pistol, which had been reported stolen out of Chubbuck.
Some of the items were not found until James was brought back to the home and allowed to walk through, showing officers hidden caches. James also informed officers that a previously unidentified black liquid was DMT.
He was then arrested and booked into the Bannock County Jail.