BOISE, Idaho — The Department of Justice's crackdown on violent crime and firearms violations resulted in six sentencings and two guilty pleas in Idaho within the past two weeks, the U.S. Attorney's Office said this week.
In a news release dated June 26, U.S. Attorney for Idaho Josh Hurwit announced the recent results of Idaho investigations that were part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative, a "key component" of the DOJ's violent crime reduction strategy.
In one of the cases, the defendant was involved in illegal drug trafficking at the time of his arrest. Others were charged with gun-law violations because of prior felony convictions. In one case, a gun sold by the defendant was used by another person in another state to shoot and kill a police officer.
"In almost every case highlighted here, the individual knew that they were not supposed to possess firearms," ATF Seattle Special Agent-in Charge Jonathan McPherson said.
Two Lewiston men, 35-year-old Shane Michael Bohn and 24-year-old Matthew Durham, are scheduled to be sentenced in October in U.S. District Court for Idaho. Both men recently pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms.
Bohn was initially charged in November 2022 after officers found multiple firearms at his home. He was on probation at the time, and had previously been convicted of aggravated assault.
Durham was on parole for a drug possession conviction and had an active civil protection order pending in December 2022, when officers found and seized a shotgun that was in his possession.
These six defendants were recently sentenced in the U.S. District Court for Idaho:
- Jeffrey Donald Manchester, 36, of Auburn, Washington: 4 years, 9 months in federal prison plus three years supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm. According to prosecutors, he sold an unlawfully possessed AK-47-style rifle to a confidential informant knowing that he had previously been convicted of several felonies. They included convictions in Idaho for heroin trafficking, unlawful possession of a firearm, and conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and heroin; also, a conviction for manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance in King County, Washington.
- Anthony Erasmo Madrid Sr., 45, of Nampa: Sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in federal prison to be followed by three years supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm. He sold a Remington 6-millimeter rifle to a confidential informant for $500 when he was under a criminal justice sentence in four separate cases, according to the U.S. Attorney's news release. Madrid was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2019 conviction for burglary. His record also includes convictions for meth possession battery, domestic battery, forgery, burglary, grand theft and identity theft.
- Gary Carl Partee, 39: Sentenced to two years in federal prison plus three years supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm. The U.S. Attorney's Office said he was squatting on public land near Mountain Home when, on Aug. 4, 2022, the Bureau of Land Management served a search warrant on a motorhome that was broken down and had been illegally parked on public land for several months. Partee was living in a makeshift tent next to the vehicle, and during the search of the motorhome, law enforcement saw a rifle that Partee admitted to possessing. Partee was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2017 conviction for delivery of a controlled substance. He also had a rattlesnake in a box; officers ordered him to release it.
- Spencer Gibson, 32, of Nampa: Sentenced to 18 months in prison plus two years supervised release for dealing firearms without a license. Court records show that between January 2020 and April 21, 2022, he bought and resold more than 20 firearms, and sold an AR-style rifle to an undercover ATF agent. One of the guns sold by Gibson was taken out of state and used by another person to shoot and kill a police officer.
- Travis Johnson, 50, of Idaho Falls: Sentenced to four months home detention followed by three years probation, plus a $55,000 fine, for dealing firearms without a license. Court records indicate he sold about 15 firearms to another individual. One of the guns sold by Johnson was recovered in Los Angeles 53 days after the sale and seized as part of an investigation into criminal activity.
- Thomas Downs, 37, of Blythe, California: Sentenced to 11 years and 4 months in prison plus five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Idaho State Police had stopped Downs for a traffic violation in April 2022, according to court records, when troopers found four pounds of meth and a gun in his car. After obtaining a search warrant for Downs' cell phone, law enforcement found additional evidence of drug trafficking, pictures of firearms, and messages about acquiring firearms. His record also includes domestic violence and making threats.
"Reducing violent crime is a top priority for my office,” U.S. Attorney Hurwit said. “Our law enforcement partners and prosecutors are very effective at identifying and removing from our streets those individuals who pose the greatest risk of violence in our communities. And I am grateful to our state and local partners who support our efforts and help us to better understand the particular issues in their communities. It’s all about maintaining our quality way of life throughout Idaho.”
Project Safe Neighborhoods, Hurwit said, is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime by "engaging a broad spectrum of participants" in identifying the most pressing problems and developing solutions. The initiative focuses on strategic enforcement of the most violent offenders and prevention and intervention efforts through community engagement and problem-solving partnerships.
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