Boise Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Charge in Aryan Knights Investigation

BOISE—Jose Silva, 30, of Boise, Idaho, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.

According to the plea agreement, Silva admitted that on January 10, 2012, he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant.

The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and at least three years of supervised release.

Silva is set for sentencing on June 17, 2013, before the U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge, at the federal courthouse in Boise.

Silva is one of 23 people charged as a result of a long-term investigation by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force. The investigation began when the task force focused on illegal drug distribution by the Aryan Knights, a gang active in prison and on the streets throughout Idaho. Through the investigation, law enforcement agents identified Aryan Knights gang members who were trafficking methamphetamine, as well as associates of the gang who were the source of that methamphetamine.

The Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force is composed 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 the Idaho Department of Corrections. The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) also contributed to the investigation, including 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.

Silva’s case is 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.