United States Drug Enforcement Administration

POCATELLO – A federal jury sitting in Pocatello convicted an Idaho Falls man of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, attempted possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and deported alien found in the United States.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on September 26, 2017, Jose Luis Cruz-Delgado, 29, of Idaho Falls, and a co-conspirator were stopped in San Bernardino, California, with 28 pounds of methamphetamine. Cruz-Delgado admitted the methamphetamine was his. He also admitted he was returning to Idaho Falls. He was later released on bond following his California arrest.

Cruz-Delgado subsequently continued trafficking methamphetamine to Idaho from California up until his arrest in Idaho in August 2018. One co-conspirator testified that he received and later distributed approximately 30 to 40 pounds of methamphetamine from Cruz-Delgado during the course of the conspiracy. When arrested in Idaho, Cruz-Delgado admitted to being previously deported from the United States.

Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine are punishable by ten years to life in federal prison. The charge of deported alien found in the United States is punishable by up to twenty years in federal prison. The methamphetamine charges are also punishable by a fine of up to ten million dollars and at least five years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Sentencing is set for February 15, 2022, before Senior U.S. District Judge Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.

Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., commended the cooperative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Idaho State Police, and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department which led to charges. “This conviction is the result of tremendous cooperation and teamwork between all levels of law enforcement in Idaho and San Bernardino," said Gonzalez. "I'm incredibly proud of these dedicate attorneys and staff in our office and their partner federal agents and state detectives, who work tirelessly together to defeat the scourge of methamphetamine in Idaho."

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.