Augustine Jackson, 32, of Williston, North Dakota, stood in silence before a federal judge in Coeur d’Alene yesterday, then admitted her role in a sprawling drug trafficking organization that flooded Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Eastern Washington with heroin, oxycodone, and methamphetamine. Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, marking the third conviction in a case that exposed a tightly wired network of dealers, money runners, and interstate couriers.
The indictment, handed down April 19, 2016, by a federal grand jury in Coeur d’Alene, charges Jackson with selling and transporting narcotics, as well as ensuring the operation’s profits were funneled to the right hands. According to court records, she wasn’t just a low-level player—she was a logistical cog, moving product and cash across state lines while helping to keep the organization’s cash flow hidden. In addition to her guilty plea, Jackson agreed to forfeit any interest in real property, jewelry, or cash seized during the investigation, whether held by her or her co-conspirators.
She’s not alone. Geena Lauren Milho, 25, also of Williston, North Dakota, pleaded guilty on September 14, 2016, to the same conspiracy charge and is set for sentencing January 18, 2017. Sherlann Simon, 34, of North Las Vegas, Nevada, admitted guilt October 11, 2016, to conspiracy to launder money—a critical function in keeping the drug ring’s earnings invisible to law enforcement. Simon faces sentencing January 19, 2017.
The charge Jackson now carries—conspiracy to distribute controlled substances—carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. With sentencing scheduled for March 7, 2017, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill, prosecutors are expected to push for a sentence that reflects the scale and reach of the operation.
This takedown was years in the making. The investigation was led by a coalition of federal and local agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), CDA Police, Kootenai County Sheriff, North Idaho Violent Crimes Task Force (NIVCTF), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Their work fell under the umbrella of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a federal strike force designed to dismantle high-level trafficking networks.
The OCDETF program, funded by the Department of Justice, brings together agencies like the FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-CI, and the U.S. Marshals Service to target major drug operations. This case exemplifies that mission—interstate, multi-agency, and unrelenting. As more defendants face the bench, one truth is clear: the feds are closing in on North Idaho’s underground drug economy, one guilty plea at a time.
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Key Facts
- State: Idaho
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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