Geoffrey W. Ancheta, a resident of Pocatello, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. This announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott.
The sentence stems from an April 13, 2024, incident where members of the BADGES Task Force stopped Ancheta and his co-defendant, Alme Otto, returning from Arizona. A search of the vehicle unveiled over 500 grams of blue fentanyl pills and a firearm. Ancheta subsequently admitted to trafficking fentanyl into Idaho.
Following a federal indictment in July 2024, Ancheta pled guilty on October 23, 2024, to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. On April 14, 2025, Chief District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Ancheta to nine years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Co-defendant Otto has also pled guilty and awaits sentencing on June 30, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott recognized the joint efforts of the BADGES Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative comprising the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bannock County Sheriff's Office, the Idaho State Police, the Pocatello Police Department, and the Chubbuck Police Department. The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe H. McLane.
The investigation was conducted through the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. HIDTA, sponsored by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, supports multiagency drug enforcement projects, including the BADGES Task Force.
The BADGES Task Force, a collaborative effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, focuses on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and the surrounding region.