04/23/09

Ian Ireland, 47, of Fairfield, was sentenced in federal court for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to launder money.

U.S. Chief District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Ireland to nine years in prison and ten years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Ireland was also ordered to forfeit personal and real property in Idaho, California, and Washington, with a value of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In a previous plea hearing, Ireland admitted to manufacturing and distributing marijuana and distributing cocaine over a twenty-year period. Money obtained from growing and selling marijuana and distributing cocaine was illegally invested in real estate in Idaho, California, and Washington.

Ireland also admitted to using drug proceeds to purchase other assets, including equipment and inventory for his woodworking and pottery businesses in Fairfield, through which he co-mingled drug proceeds with legitimate funds.

In addition, Ireland admitted to smuggling and arranging for smuggling of marijuana and cocaine across the Canadian border into the United States.

Over the years, he was involved in growing marijuana, including a marijuana grow that was seized by law enforcement in December 2003 in Buhl.

During the course of the investigation, agents executed several search warrants on Ireland’s property in Fairfield, Idaho, Palm Springs, California, and Bow, Washington. Approximately 27 pounds of marijuana was found at the Fairfield residence.

At the time of his arrest in San Diego, California, Ireland was in possession of 75 pounds of marijuana.

The four-year investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Gooding County Sheriff’s Office, and IRS Criminal Investigation.

U.S. Attorney Tom Moss commented, “It is gratifying to see many agencies, state and federal, work together to bring about our common law enforcement goals of justice and safety, and freedom from the blight of illegal drug trafficking.”