Money Rolls In From Drug Busts Idaho Agencies Helped Crack Smuggling Case

Idaho’s U.S. marshal got an $885,000 check last week as money continued to roll in from an international drug smuggling and money laundering case that Idaho officials helped crack.

The government has collected more than $2 million in drug-related assets from the case, and there’s more to come.

When the case is concluded, the money will be split among all the law enforcement agencies that worked on it, from foreign governments and federal agencies down to the Ketchum, Idaho, Police Department and Blaine County, Idaho, sheriff’s office.

“It all goes back into the war on drugs,” said Monte Stiles, an assistant U.S. attorney in Boise who helped prosecute the case. “That money is used to fund drug task forces, buy equipment, and part of it’s used for prevention and education programs.”

The case began with allegations about money laundering in the Sun Valley area, where authorities discovered that a popular athletic club had been built entirely with drug proceeds. It grew into an international money laundering and conspiracy case that led to four convictions.

Investigators tracked profits gained from smuggling shiploads of marijuana from Thailand to the United States up to 20 years ago. The money was funneled into construction projects and resort property around the world. But even when it was used in legitimate projects, the money was legally tainted.

One defendant, Michael Kuntz, is serving a one-year prison term and has agreed to forfeit valuable property. He also faces two years of special parole after he is released, plus 200 hours of community service. A second, Mary Lou Parten, was sentenced to forfeitures and a long period of probation.

John Parten, a key figure in the case and Mary Lou’s son, still awaits sentencing, as does building contractor Don Trabert.

The money now being held by the marshal’s service came from the sale of two of Parten’s homes in Hawaii, and his interest in a ranch in Australia.

“The defendants have agreed to forfeit most if not all of their property,” Stiles said.

Stiles and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Hall were honored by Attorney General Janet Reno this summer for their work on investigating and prosecuting international drug smuggling and money laundering. Both are Idaho natives.

They credited the agents from various agencies who worked together on the case. “No case of this magnitude could have occurred in Idaho without the hard work and dedication of a lot of people.”

, DataTimes