For the week of  October 31 - November 6, 2001

Alleged drug dealer nabbed in Hailey

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By GREG MOORE
Express Staff Writer

A search for a stolen shotgun led to the arrest of a Hailey man Friday on felony charges of trafficking in cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, after police allegedly found substantial quantities of the drugs at his house in Hailey and at his mother’s house in Twin Falls.

Police officers wait outside the home of Robert E. Hall in Hailey on Friday afternoon before entering on a search warrant. With them is drug search dog Gotcha. Officers had to wait until the search warrant was issued. Express photo by Willy Cook

According to the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, Robert E. Hall, 49, was arrested after deputies stopped his car on Highway 75 south of Ketchum following a search of his house at 220 Alder Street in Hailey. Also arrested, on misdemeanor charges of frequenting a house where drugs are sold or used, was Hall’s wife, Wendy B. Hall, 31, and Rebecca A. Murray, 37.

Following that search, Idaho State Police officers searched the home of Hall’s mother and aunt in Twin Falls, where they allegedly found 61 pounds of marijuana, almost 3 pounds of methamphetamine and half a pound of cocaine.

"It was basically a stash house for Mr. Hall," State Police Capt. Clark Rollins said.

Rollins said it appears that Hall’s mother and aunt had no knowledge of what he had stored there. He said he may refer the case to Adult Protective Services, part of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

Hailey Police Chief Brian McNary said the trail to Hall began with the arrest of Hailey resident Jack James Costanzo, 33, for allegedly stealing four shotguns from a house on Wolftone Drive on Oct. 23. While investigating that theft, police determined that one of the shotguns was at Hall’s house.

According to Sheriff Walt Femling, about a dozen officers from his office and the Hailey Police Department executed a search warrant for the shotgun at Hall’s home at 9:15 a.m. Friday. While doing so, they found an alleged 8 pounds of marijuana, 11 ounces of methamphetamine and 6 ounces of cocaine.

"Once we went in and searched the house and saw the drugs, we got an additional warrant," Femling said.

He said additional officers from the Ketchum and Sun Valley police departments helped in the expanded search for drugs, which was not concluded until 1:30 a.m. Saturday.

He said searchers also found three handguns and one long-barreled gun at the house.

Hall was being held Tuesday in Blaine County Jail in lieu of $1 million bond.

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