Idaho Falls Couple Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine in Eastern Idaho

POCATELLO – Richard Corey Fox, 54, and Angelina Larae Norton, 61, a couple living in Idaho Falls, were sentenced to over ten years combined for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine in eastern Idaho, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.

According to court records, detectives with the BADGES Task Force initiated an investigation in the summer of 2022 in which they identified Fox and Norton as the source of supply for fentanyl, along with other controlled substances, for other individuals in the region.  The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Fox’s vehicle on July 19, 2022.  During the stop, law enforcement seized an ounce of methamphetamine and a large amount of U.S. currency.  Shortly thereafter, a separate vehicle in which Norton was a passenger was stopped and three-quarters of a pound of methamphetamine was seized.  Further investigation uncovered cell phone communications showing that Norton and Fox actively engaged in distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine and were in possession of firearms.

On May 28, 2024, Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Fox to 92 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.  On December 22, 2023, Judge Nye sentenced Norton to 37 months, almost three years, in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.

“This case exemplifies the strong partnerships between our office and law enforcement in rooting out drug distribution in Eastern Idaho,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit.  “We will spare no effort in removing dangerous drugs from our streets and holding dealers accountable.”

“We appreciate the hard work from all of the agencies that worked in conjunction on this investigation,” said Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei.  “This is a testimony  of the power of relationships within law enforcement agencies and what can happen when we all work together towards one common goal.”

U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Idaho State Police, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, the Pocatello Police Department, and the Chubbuck Police Department, which participated as part of the HIDTA BADGES Task Force.  The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office also participated in the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe H. McLane prosecuted the case.

This case was investigated through the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.  HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug gran program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multiagency drug enforcement initiates, including the BADGE Task Force.

The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region.

###