A man whose drunken driving arrest led to a federal investigation into methamphetamine distribution in southwestern Idaho has been sentenced to 11 1/2 years in prison.
Benjamine L. Vertner, 34, of Ontario, is to serve 138 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Vertner was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Lynn Winmill. Co-defendant Patric Campbell, 36, of Boise, received 10 years and 4 months.
Kristopher Hensley, alias Casey "K.C." Hensley, 26, of Weiser, Idaho, was sentenced Wednesday to 51 months in prison; Johnny A. Tambunga, 40, of Weiser, received 47 months in prison.
All will be on probation for five years after they leave prison.
The four are among 11 sentenced as part of investigation into the distribution of 11 pounds of meth in Canyon, Payette and Washington counties. Co-defendants include Jacob James Clevenger, 31, who received 15 years in federal prison just after settling a brutality lawsuit against a private prison in Idaho.
Michael Dennis Morris, 42, of Ontario, Ore.; Jim Allen Loveland, 56, of Boise; Jesus Guadalupe Sanchez, alias Jose Salazar, 31, a Mexican national, will be sentenced in April after a jury convicted them last month.
The investigation began after Vertner was arrested for a DUI and chose "to cooperate with authorities regarding his involvement with the distribution of methamphetamine in the Treasure Valley area," according to court documents.
