Three more suspects from a major Blaine County drug bust last April have pleaded guilty to methamphetamine charges in 5th District Court in Hailey.
Change of plea hearings were held Monday morning for Jose Antonio Hurtado Jr., 25, Juan Carlos Hurtado, 19, and Refugio Regaldo-Gil, 23. The Hurtado brothers are from Hailey, and Regaldo-Gil is from Bellevue.
The three were among 13 suspects indicted by a Blaine County grand jury following the drug bust on April 11, when the Blaine County Narcotics Enforcement team raided two homes in Hailey and one in Ketchum.
Plea agreements were reached with the Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney's Office prior to the change of plea hearings.
Jose Hurtado, who was originally charged with six drug felonies, pleaded guilty to a single count of felony delivery of methamphetamine. According to a plea agreement, the prosecuting attorney's office will recommend that Jose Hurtado be sentenced to five years in prison, three of them to be served before he's eligible for parole.
Fifth District Court Judge Robert J. Elgee advised Jose Hurtado that the court is not bound by the prosecutor's recommendation and could impose a maximum sentence of up to life in prison.
Juan Hurtado, who was originally charged with three drug felonies, pleaded guilty to one count of delivery of methamphetamine and a probation violation, stemming from a 2006 conviction for possession of cocaine.
The prosecuting attorney's office will recommend that Juan Hurtado be sentenced on the delivery charge to seven years in prison, with four of them to be served before the defendant is eligible for parole. On the parole violation, prosecutors will recommend a three-year prison sentence, with two years to be served before parole eligibility. The plea agreement states that the prison terms can be served concurrently.
The Hurtado brothers both testified that they are U.S. citizens, unlike Regaldo-Gil, who is a Mexican national with legal residency in the U.S.
Juan Hurtado is free on bail while his brother and Regaldo-Gil remain incarcerated on $100,000 bond each.
All three of the defendants told Elgee they are not married but have steady girlfriends and are the fathers of young children.
Regaldo-Gil was allowed to see his infant son in court while waiting for the hearings to begin. His girlfriend held the infant for several minutes near the jury box where the defendant was seated. Regaldo-Gil smiled repeatedly at the child, which appeared to be only a few months old.
Regaldo-Gil, who was originally charged with three drug felonies, pleaded guilty to a single count of possession of methamphetamine and a probation violation for a 2004 forgery conviction.
The prosecuting attorney's office will recommend that he be sentenced to six years in prison on the possession charge, with three years to be served before he is eligible for parole. On the probation violation, prosecutors will recommend a four-year prison sentence with two years served before parole eligibility. The sentences can be served concurrently.
Elgee advised Regaldo-Gil that his guilty pleas may affect his legal residency status or prevent re-entry to the U.S. if he's deported.
Sentencing for all three men was set for 9 a.m. on Nov. 26.
Seven suspects indicted by the grand jury have now accepted plea agreements and entered guilty pleas to reduced charges.
Two other suspects are expected to plead guilty on Wednesday. They are Fidel Cornejo-Gomez, a 27-year-old Ketchum man who is charged with six felonies, and Steve R. Sanders, a 29-year-old Oregon resident who is charged with one felony count of trafficking in methamphetamine and one felony count of failure to affix a drug tax stamp.
Jose Antonio Hurtado Jr.
Juan Carlos Hurtado
Refugio Regaldo-Gil
