Accused drug dealer sentenced

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man accused of drug trafficking and possession has steered clear of a custodial prison sentence, 1st District Court records show.

Muhammed Ali Mujtaba and two other people were arrested on marijuana trafficking charges after Ponderay Police discovered nearly 5 pounds of the drug while responding to a noise complaint at the Mountain View Village apartment complex last December.

Mujtaba was further charged with possession of pot with intent to distribute and simple possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

In a pretrial settlement agreement, Mujtaba pleaded guilty to possessing meth and drug paraphernalia, and the balance of the charges were dismissed, according to court records.

Judge Barbara Buchanan imposed a suspended two- to five-year prison term and ordered Mujtaba to serve concurrent jail terms of 30 days with 20 days suspended and 10 days to serve.

Mujtaba, 25, of Sagle, declined to address the court when he was sentenced on Sept. 19.

An alleged accomplice in the drug enterprise, Jesse Alan Johnson, was also to be sentenced on Sept. 19, but his defense counsel gave up his law license in lieu of being disciplined by the Idaho State Bar after admitting to six counts of professional misconduct in unrelated court cases.

Coeur d’Alene attorney Larry Purviance is prohibited from practicing law in Idaho for five years, state bar records indicate. He was accused of failing to be diligent in representing clients and using a client’s funds that were held in trust to pay personal and business expenses.

A public defender was appointed to represent Johnson and his sentencing hearing was reset for Oct. 24.

In addition to the trafficking charge, Johnson, 26, of Sandpoint, was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, hallucinogenic mushrooms, 4-Methylecathinone and delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol.

The latter two substances are a synthetic stimulant and the psychoactive compound found in marijuana, respectively.

In an agreement with the state, Johnson pleaded guilty to amended charges of manufacturing marijuana and possession of illicit mushrooms with intent to distribute. In exchange for the pleas, the remaining drug charges were dismissed.

A third suspect in the drug bust, Erica Ashley Crouch, pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking.

Crouch, 20, of Ponderay, is scheduled to be tried in district court in December.