BOISE – Four members of a drug trafficking conspiracy were recently sentenced to federal prison for distributing large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Idaho, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, beginning in March 2023, Idaho State Police detectives working in coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), learned about a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Magic Valley. Using an undercover officer, detectives infiltrated the organization and began receiving drugs in exchange for cash payments. On April 27, 2023, Jamie Lee Coltrin, 35, of Rupert, met with an undercover officer at a gas station parking lot in Heyburn. Coltrin gave the officer 1,000 fentanyl pills in exchange for $4,500 that the officer agreed to deposit in a co-conspirator’s bank account. Then, on May 24, 2023, the undercover officer met with Jenika Ann Johnson, 30, of Pocatello, and again received 1,000 fentanyl pills in exchange for $4,000.
As the investigation continued, the detectives were able to identify additional members of the organization. On June 12, 2023, detectives observed Tina Jane Morris, 45, of Pocatello, meet with a co-conspirator at a gas station parking lot in Jerome and complete a drug transaction. Police later stopped Morris’ vehicle as she traveled east on I-86 near Power County. A search of her vehicle revealed 11,216 fentanyl pills, two pounds of methamphetamine, and a 9mm handgun. The investigation revealed that Morris had just returned from the Mexico border where she obtained these drugs before bringing them to Idaho.
An additional drug transaction was planned for July 6, 2023, with Daniel Ross Coltrin, 39, of Paul, Idaho. Coltrin was stopped by police prior to the transaction and was found in possession of $5,600 that he planned to use to purchase 1,250 fentanyl pills. Coltrin intended to distribute these pills into the community.
On February 20, 2024, U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford sentenced Tina Morris to 97 months in federal prison and Jamie Coltrin to 48 months in prison. The following day, Judge Brailsford sentenced Jenika Johnson and Daniel Coltrin to 48 months and 25 months in prison respectively. All four sentences are to be followed by three years of supervised release.
“These prosecutions reflect that the people of Idaho will not tolerate drug traffickers bringing their poisons into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “The backbone of our counter-drugs program is the partnership at the federal, state, and local level, and this holds true in the Magic Valley, where our teamwork is making a difference.”
“DEA and our partners will work tirelessly to stop drug traffickers from flooding our communities with drugs and violence,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentences in this case highlight the serious threat fentanyl and methamphetamine traffickers pose as well as our commitment to stop them.”
“Law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions are joining forces to combat the proliferation of illicit drugs within our communities,” said Idaho State Police Lieutenant Colonel Sheldon Kelley. “Through unwavering collaboration, we will work tirelessly to dismantle the networks responsible for distributing drugs throughout Idaho. By disrupting these operations, we not only uphold the law but also prioritize the safety and well-being of our citizens, ensuring our streets remain free from the harmful influence of drugs.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Idaho State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office and the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office as part of the Mini-Cassia Drug Task Force, the Twin Falls Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the Jerome County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Pocatello Police Department, for their work on these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Booker and Francis Zebari prosecuted these cases.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.