Indictment targets Idaho white supremacy gangs
Federal drug and firearms charges are contained in a new indictment naming 13 alleged members of two white supremacist聽prison gangs operating in Idaho, authorities announced Thursday.
The two gangs, the Aryan Knights and Severely Violent Criminals, carry influence inside the state鈥檚 prisons and in various communities in southern Idaho, authorities say.
Eleven of the 13 defendants are accused of drug crimes, including distribution of methamphetamine and three counts of conspiracy to distribute the drug, U.S. Attorney Bart Davis said in announcing the charges.
Two individuals were indicted for firearms charges, including three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Named in the indictment are: Tyler James Campbell, 34, of Boise, Idaho; Jesse Everett Ford, 43, of Kuna, Idaho; Brian Cade Humphreys, 45, of Meridian, Idaho; Jeremy Caine Lyons, 40, of Meridian; Jason Schepers, 33, of Caldwell, Idaho;聽and Kirstin Decker (aka Kirstin Walz), 39, of Boise.
Also indicted were: Jennifer Lee Sayer, 34, of Boise; Kimberly Ann Hale, 39, of Meridian; John Alan Redfern, 48, of Boise; Frank Lee Gorrell, 40, of Boise; Angela Marie Sheldon (aka Angela Marie Junkert), 43, of Boise; Keith Anthony Murphy, 28, of Boise; and Cameron James Ball, 31, of Boise.
The federal charges are the outgrowth of a six-month investigation by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, working in conjunction with a specially appointed federal prosecutor, authorities said.
鈥淚 am confident with these arrests our streets, our communities and our state are safer,鈥� Davis told the . 鈥淚 am also confident these gang street operations are substantially weakened.鈥�
Gang experts in Idaho tell Hatewatch that the Aryan Knights began in Idaho prisons in the 1990s 鈥渁s a means to protect whites from other gangs.鈥�
In the past decade, the Aryan Knights has evolved into 鈥済ang-based business and violence, not only in prison, but on the streets as well,鈥� the experts say. Aryan Knights members tend to be older and use the numbers 1 and 11 signifying 鈥淎K鈥� and 208, Idaho鈥檚 area code, as tattoo identifiers.
Severely Violent Criminals, the experts say, began in the Idaho prison system in the early 2000s, and was formed by 鈥渨hite boys鈥� seeking 鈥渁 brotherhood and protection from other Idaho prison gangs.鈥�
Photos from Idaho Department of Corrections and聽Kootenai County Jail
