BOISE - Tara Noelle Rivera, 30, of Nampa, Idaho, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boise to distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Rivera was indicted on Nov. 13, 2014.
According to court documents, Rivera admitted to selling methamphetamine to a police informant on three separate occasions in March 2014. Rivera also admitted to selling a 9 millimeter pistol to the informant. Rivera’s case is part of a larger long-term investigation by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force. The investigation focused on the “Norteno" Northside gang, which is active in Nampa and other parts of the Treasure Valley. Fourteen individuals were indicted on drug and gun charges as a result of the investigation.
Distribution of methamphetamine is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release.
Sentencing is set for June 17, 2015, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill.
This case and the other related cases are the result of a joint investigation by theTreasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force and the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force is comprised of federal, state and local agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Boise Police Department; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Caldwell Police Department; Nampa Police Department; Meridian Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; and Idaho Department of Probation and Parole. The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), includes the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service. 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.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership, the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit treasurevalleypartners.org.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
