Four Eastern Idaho Residents Arrested in Connection with Illegal Gun Possession and Sales

POCATELLO—U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced the arrest this week of four Eastern Idaho residents on federal firearms violations and methamphetamine distribution charges. Marilee Taylor Love, 44, of Terreton; Rodney Lewis Hall, 54, of Lewisville; Harold Thomas Barker, 58, of Rexburg; and Gary Wallace Hoffman, 50, of Rigby, were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 29, 2013. The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in United States District Court in Pocatello at 1:00 p.m. MDT, on June 13, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald E. Bush.

Indicted together, Love and Hall are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana between February 2011 and February 2012. The two are also charged with three counts of distributing methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm silencer. Love is additionally charged with two counts of unlawfully selling firearms to a person she knew was prohibited from legally possessing firearms.

Barker is charged with unlawfully possessing a sawed-off shotgun, distributing methamphetamine on two occasions, and four counts of unlawfully selling firearms to a person he knew was prohibited from legally possessing firearms.

Hoffman, convicted of felony possession of methamphetamine in 2004 in Bonneville County, Idaho, is charged with unlawfully possessing three firearms between May and October 2012 and with distributing methamphetamine. Hoffman is prohibited from possessing firearms due to his prior conviction.

If convicted, Love, Hall, Barker, and Hoffman each face up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and at least three years of supervised release.

The three cases are being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Idaho State Police; the Madison, Fremont, Jefferson, and Bingham County Sheriff’s Offices; the Rexburg Police Department, Rigby Police Department; Blackfoot Police Department; and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct and is not evidence of guilt. A person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.