Friday, July 24, 2015

Four Defendants Arrested in Multi-County Meth Distribution - Fifth Defendant Remains at Large

BOISE - Miguel Angel Dorantes, 18, Alberto Lopez, 18, Elizabeth Baeza, 18, Sobeida Galaviz, 24, all of Hailey, Idaho, and Leonel Angel, 20, of Compton, California, were indicted on July 14, 2015, by a federal grand jury in Boise for one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute, eleven counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamines, and eight counts of distributing a controlled substance near a school, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. An initial appearance was held on July 21, 2015, for four of the defendants. Defendant Dorantes has not yet been found or arrested.

The Indictment alleges that between March 23 and May 28, 2015, the defendants were involved in possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute it in Blaine County, Lincoln County, and Jerome County. Four of the drug transactions are alleged to have occurred within 1,000 feet of Hailey Elementary School in Hailey, Idaho, and four of the transactions are alleged to have occurred within 1,000 feet of Heritage Academy in Jerome, Idaho.

The penalties for the charges vary—depending on the facts for each charge—from not more than five years in prison, to not less than ten years mandatory minimum up to life. Distributing controlled substances within 1,000 of a school doubles the penalty for the amount of controlled substance distributed. The maximum fine for each of the charged offenses varies from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000. The number of years of supervised release following any incarceration for the charged offenses varies from three years to five years.

A trial is set for September 28, 2015, before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Boise.

The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Idaho State Police, Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Twin Falls Police Department, and Hailey Police Department.

An indictment is a means of charging a person with criminal activity. It is not evidence. The person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.