SCSO continues success in drug related arrests

The Shoshone County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) hit the streets hard last week, as they have confirmed dealing with multiple drug related incidents throughout the Silver Valley. Totaling in 10 different arrests, a majority involved drug related charges, as well as other crimes.

While this recent spotlight seems to be shining brightest on drug-related offenders right now, SCSO explains that offenders should get used to it because this isn’t some sort of flash in the pan operation.

Shoshone County Sheriff Mike Gunderson explains that his department isn’t doing anything out of the ordinary, they aren’t conducting any sort of specified drug emphasis or operations. In fact, they are simply doing their job and then using tools like social media to inform the public of their work and show that they are actively combating the ongoing drug problem.

The numbers back up Sheriff Gunderson’s intentions.

“If you look at state crime stats, we doubled our drug arrests last year from the year before,” Gunderson said. “People just don’t seem to see that information so we’re trying to make an effort to show people how active we are with drug cases. I think last year was in the 350-range. We have always had an emphasis on drug investigations and continue to make it a priority for our community. Our staff is working hard. We all get busy and we don’t always get it on our Facebook page so we are trying to make an extra effort on all major investigations to get it out to the public.”

Shoshone County Undersheriff Holly Lindsay doubled down on Gunderson's statement and explained how drugs enforcement is always a year-round priority, not just 'a few times a year' thing for the SCSO.

“An emphasis is reactive, and the cost of drug crime in our community is too high to only be reactive. The SCSO is committed to fighting drug crime every day — it's always a priority.” She added, “Any success in making drug arrests falls solely on the deputies who are out there actively investigating. We have a great team of people who are committed to this community and I look forward to what the future brings.”

The most recent of these incidents occurred last Thursday when SCSO searched a residence in Wallace.

The search resulted in the arrest of Walter Rogers, 54, who was charged with possession of the controlled substance, a felony, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use, a misdemeanor.

SCSO reports that this continues to be an open investigation with the possibility of two more arrests being made.

Rogers has a long list of driving related offenses in Shoshone County, as well as a previous arrest for drug related charges.

On the west end of the valley, SCSO arrested Pinehurst resident Darren Lukkes, early Tuesday morning while conducting a routine traffic stop.

It was just after midnight when deputies located methamphetamine, marijuana and paraphernalia during their search. Lukkes was taken into custody and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, as well as possession of a controlled substance, and use of drug paraphernalia — both misdemeanors.

In the evening hours of Oct. 18, police also arrested both Chase Bailey, 37, of Kingston and Mercedes Treece, 19, of Smelterville.

Bailey was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, as well as a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Treece was charged with two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, as well as the misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Treece was arrested earlier this year in Shoshone County for battery and resisting arrest, while Bailey has an extensive criminal history including multiple other drug and theft related charges stringing across multiple Idaho counties.

These came after a massive cooperative effort earlier this month where deputies from SCSO, along with Kootenai County SWAT and the Idaho State Police, raided a home in the Page area of Smelterville, leading to the arrest of five individuals.