California Man Sentenced for Trafficking Cocaine in North Idaho

  COEUR D’ALENE – Hector Rivera, 35, of Paramount, California, was sentenced yesterday afternoon in United States District Court to 50 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Rivera to serve four years of supervised release after his prison term. He pleaded guilty to the charge on November 5, 2012.

  Rivera’s co-defendant, Barbara Jeanne Willoughby, 23, also of Paramount, California, was sentenced on February 4th to 18 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.

  Rivera admitted in court that on March 18, 2012, he conspired with Barbara Willoughby to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. According to court documents, Willoughby drove a rental vehicle from California to Idaho because Rivera’s license was suspended. The vehicle was stopped by law enforcement because it did not have a front license plate. During this contact, law enforcement became suspicious of Rivera and Willoughby’s behavior. A search of the vehicle discovered cocaine in a backpack in the cab of the truck.

  The case was investigated by the Bonners Ferry Police Department, Idaho State Police, U.S. Border Patrol, and the North Idaho Violent Crimes Task Force (NIVCTF). NIVCTF members include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Idaho State Police, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office, Bonner County Sheriff’s Office, Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Post Falls Police Department, and the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police Department. The NIVCTF investigates a myriad of violent crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, felonious assault and drug trafficking.