United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BOISE, Idaho - A Wilder, Idaho man was sentenced to 124 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl.

According to court records, James Donavan Conour, 44, of Wilder, sold another person one pound of methamphetamine in exchange for $3,000 on January 21, 2021.  Three months later, law enforcement officers learned that Conour was distributing controlled substances from a residence in Caldwell, Idaho.  Law enforcement officers executed a search of the residence and found 25 pounds of methamphetamine, one and a half pounds of heroin, one pound of cocaine, 20 grams of psilocybin (commonly referred to as mushrooms), and several thousand fentanyl pills. Law enforcement officers also found tools commonly used by drug traffickers to repackage their controlled substances for sale such as a digital scale and empty zip loc baggies.  In addition to the seized controlled substances, law enforcement officers also seized $10,395 in illicit drug proceeds and a Jaguar model XF used to transport controlled substances.

Conour has a criminal history spanning over 30 years with prior state convictions for aggravated assault, robbery, theft, injury to child, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, and witness intimidation. 

U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl, from the District of Wyoming, sitting by designation, also ordered Conour to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Conour pled guilty to the charge on November 3, 2021.

U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, of the District of Idaho, made the announcement and commended the  cooperative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Nampa Police Department; Meridian Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; Idaho Department of Correction Probation and Parole; and the City-County Narcotics Unit, which led to the charges.     

This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program.  HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988.  It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States.  Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA.  The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.

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