Idaho Falls man arrested on trafficking cocaine charges
Published at | Updated at
POCATELLO — A man police say had cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana has been charged with multiple felonies.
Bruno Del Rosario Soto-Valenzuela, 38, faces felony charges for trafficking cocaine and possession of methamphetamine, court records show. He is also charged with a misdemeanor for possession of marijuana.
A trooper with the Idaho State Police was monitoring the Interstate 15-Interstate 86 interchange around 11:30 p.m. Friday when a black Chrysler 300 passed traveling north on I-15, according to an affidavit of probable cause. The Chrysler was going 86 mph in a 55-mph construction zone, initiating a traffic stop.
The trooper stopped the Chrysler near mile marker 76, the affidavit says.
As the trooper approached, they could smell marijuana from inside the Chrysler. Asked if he was smoking marijuana, the driver, identified as Soto-Valenzuela, said he had smoked earlier that day in California.
Soto-Valenzuela told the trooper that he lives in Idaho Falls but works in California and returns to Idaho on the weekends.
The trooper received an invite from Soto-Valenzuela to search the Chrysler.
During the search, the trooper found a marijuana joint under the driver’s seat and a bag containing a crystalline substance inside the driver’s door storage compartment. The trooper also found a black baggie containing “several big chunks” of a white substance inside the center console, the affidavit says.
Asked about the substance in the center console, Soto-Valenzuela said it was a mixture of baking powder and soap.
The trooper suggested that it looked like cocaine or fentanyl. According to the affidavit, Soto-Valenzuela “kind of laughed and stated something (the trooper) could not understand.”
Soto-Valenzuela was moved into the back seat of the trooper’s cruiser, where he was asked about the suspected meth. The affidavit says, Soto-Valenzuela admitted it was meth but said it belonged to a friend.
While searching the trunk of the Chrysler, the trooper found several small bottles containing an unknown substance, as well as a large plastic bag containing a “large chunk or brick” of white substance similar to what was found in the console.
Asked if the brick in the trunk was cocaine, Soto-Valenzuela allegedly said it was cocaine but also belonged to someone else.
Soto-Valenzuela was placed under arrest and taken to Bannock County Jail, where he was booked and is being held on a $100,000 bond.
While searching his person, troopers found Soto-Valenzuela in possession of $1,069, which was seized.
All suspected drugs were tested and weighed at the ISP District 5 field office. The substance that tested presumptive positive for cocaine weighed 562.3 grams — around 1.3 pounds. The presumptive meth weighed 9.7 grams, and the presumptive marijuana weighed 4.5 grams.
Though Soto-Valenzuela has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If he is found guilty, Soto-Valenzuela could face up to life in prison.
A preliminary hearing was waived, and a jury trial has been scheduled for March 7 before District Judge Rick Carnaroli.