Justin D. Whatcott Acting United States Attorney for the District of Idaho | Department of Justice
Jack Edward Newsom, a 43-year-old resident of Pocatello, has been sentenced to over ten years in federal prison for drug trafficking offenses. Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced the sentence of 121 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also mandated that Newsom will serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
The arrest took place on May 8, 2024, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at Newsom's residence and a fifth-wheel trailer located in a storage facility. Authorities seized substantial quantities of drugs including methamphetamine, fentanyl powder, marijuana, and fentanyl pills from both locations. The operation followed an investigation during which law enforcement officials purchased three and a half pounds of methamphetamine from Newsom across five separate transactions between February and April 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott praised the collaborative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the BADGES Task Force in this case. The BADGES Task Force operates under the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, which is sponsored by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). This task force includes partnerships with various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, Idaho State Police, Pocatello Police Department, Chubbuck Police Department, and Bannock County Sheriff’s Office.
The HIDTA program provides funding resources to support multiagency drug enforcement initiatives aimed at combating drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and surrounding areas.
