Oregon man arrested for heroin trafficking
Photo by IDAHO STATE POLICE/ The illegal substances and paraphernalia seized from Martello by ISP last Friday. The black substance in the lower left corner is the eight grams of heroin. The white crystal-like substance in the lower right corner is the 1/4th of an ounce of methamphetamine. The two rectangular packages at the top are filled with marijuana (most likely purchased from a dispensary in Washington or Oregon). The paraphernalia in the center includes a marijuana joint, smoking pipes and other drug related tools.
WALLACE – Idaho State Police has once again proved that you can never be too sure of what is going through the Silver Valley via Interstate-90 after snagging a sizable drug bust last Friday.
On Aug. 17 at approximately 1 p.m., an ISP Trooper conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was speeding on I-90 through the Kingston area construction zone.
The Trooper made contact with the driver, identified as 60 year-old Richard Martello of Fossil, Ore, and upon further investigation, discovered a variety of illegal substances and paraphernalia.
Driving from Oregon to Montana, Martello was found in possession of eight grams of heroin, 1/4th of an ounce of methamphetamine and less than three ounces of marijuana. ISP states that this amount of heroin equals out to roughly 80 dosage units on average.
Due to the large quantity and the strong belief that he was planning on selling the product in Montana, Martello is being charged with “Drug Trafficking in Heroin” on top of “Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Deliver”, “Possession of Less Than Three Ounces of Marijuana,” and “Possession of Controlled Substance Paraphernalia with Intent to Use.”
Martello’s bond was set Monday by Judge Barbara Duggan at $50,000 and he has no recorded criminal history in the State of Idaho.