An Idaho resident, with ties to a drug cartel, was recently sentenced to two decades of incarceration for possession and intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit stated that the volume of narcotics involved in this operation could have resulted in thousands of fatalities.
"The quantity of fentanyl pills in this case could have killed thousands of Idahoans, and I am grateful to law enforcement for its successful investigation," said Hurwit. He added, "We will continue to work hand-in-hand with law enforcement to remove dangerous fentanyl dealers from our communities," before concluding, "They have no place here in Idaho."
Rigoverto Hernandez, a resident of Caldwell, Idaho, was apprehended in April 2023 following an inspection of an AirBnB he occupied, as per the Department of Justice's press release. The search led to the discovery of 19,900 fentanyl pills, 13.5 pounds of methamphetamine, and three illicit firearms in Hernandez's possession. His criminal record revealed several prior felony convictions.
The drug syndicate Hernandez was associated with allegedly had ties with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. DEA Agent Shohini Sinha reported that this cartel is accountable for a significant portion of meth and fentanyl that reaches Idaho communities, according to a DOJ press release from the United States' Attorney's Office for the District of Idaho.
Canyon County Sheriff Keiran Donahue described the struggle against the influx of fentanyl into Idaho as a "battle" in a press release. He noted that cartels employ street-level drug traffickers like Hernandez to distribute drugs within Idaho while funneling profits back to the cartel. Hernandez admitted his upbringing amidst gang violence led him into local gang membership.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 381 overdose deaths in 2022 within the state, with fentanyl accounting for approximately half of these fatalities. The majority of opioid-related deaths in Idaho were attributed to fentanyl.
According to the U.S. attorney’s office, Hurwit was inaugurated as the 32nd presidentially-appointed United States attorney for the District of Idaho on June 15, 2022. Born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, he graduated from Stanford University in 2002 before joining the Idaho U.S. Attorney’s Office as an assistant United States attorney in 2012.
