Another Guilty Plea in Aryan Knights Case

BOISE—Dallas Tyler Thompson, 31, of Boise, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.

According to the plea agreement, Thompson admitted that on June 19, 2012, he was in possession of a Glock 9mm handgun. Thompson was prohibited from possessing the handgun because he was previously convicted of the felony crime of aggravated battery in 2001. Thompson’s case is part of a larger, ongoing investigation involving the Aryan Knights gang, in which 22 people were charged with drug trafficking and firearms violations. Thompson is the 12th person to plead guilty.

Unlawful possession of a firearm is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.

Thompson is set for sentencing on April 8, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill, at the federal courthouse in Boise.

The cases were the result of a joint investigation of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which included 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;, U.S. Marshals Service; and the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force, a task force composed of federal, state, and local agencies, including the Boise Police Department, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Caldwell Police Department, Nampa Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; the Twin Falls Police Department, Twin Falls Sheriff’s Office, Idaho State Police, and District 3 Probation and Parole.

The 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.