BOISE – Jason Lee Burgess, 44, of Boise, Idaho, was sentenced today to 84 months imprisonment, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. After his release from prison, Burgess will be placed on supervised release for three years. Burgess was originally indicted on December 8, 2015, and entered his guilty plea to a superseding information on November 16, 2016.
Burgess, one of eleven individuals involved in a drug distribution ring, aided a co-defendant in selling methamphetamine to an undercover officer. The drug distribution ring was led by Stacy Wilfong, who is now serving over 18 years in federal prison for his leadership role in the conspiracy. In addition to methamphetamine, Wilfong and his co-conspirators sold heroin, and a synthetic controlled substance called Alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone, known as "a-PVP," or “bath salts” to individuals throughout the Treasure Valley.
Six other co-conspirators have already been sentenced. Anthony “Tony” Kitchen, 47, is serving a 71-month sentence in federal prison, Jocelin Jessica Gonzalez, 19, is serving 40 months, Elizabeth Ann Gaytan, 37, is serving 100 months, Regina Wade, 50, is serving 41 months, Breannyn Nicole Pederson, 25, is serving 18 months, and Isela Garza, 36, is serving 48 months.
Two co-defendants are awaiting sentencing. David Anthony Wales, 31, of Boise is scheduled to be sentenced on June 14, 2017, and Adam William Dillon, 28, of Nampa is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8, 2017. One co-defendant, John Matthew Caviness, Jr., 34, of Caldwell, is scheduled to plead guilty on February 23, 2017.
These cases are the result of a joint investigation by the Treasure 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.
These cases are being prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership 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.