Man sentenced to prison after being found with pound of meth in Shoshone County

COEUR d'ALENE — Joshua Alan Berg, 47, of Spokane, has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, according to U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit.

Court records indicate that on Feb. 8, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to an overdose incident in St. Regis, Mont. During the investigation, Berg was identified as a person with knowledge about the incident, and surrounding agencies were notified.

Officers in Shoshone County later identified Berg and attempted to stop his vehicle. Berg led officers on a high-speed pursuit, crashed his vehicle into a snowbank and fled on foot, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. He was subsequently arrested near the abandoned vehicle.

At the time of his arrest, Berg was found in possession of approximately 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine and 0.5 pounds of fentanyl pills, court records said. During the pursuit, Berg discarded a firearm, which was later recovered by officers.

U.S. District Court Judge Amanda K. Brailsford imposed the sentence, which includes a four-year supervised release period following the prison term.

The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Shoshone County Sheriff's Office, law enforcement agencies in Mineral County, Montana, and the North Idaho Narcotics Enforcement Taskforce.