Month: October 2025

News Team

SHELLEY, Idaho (KIFI) — Two Shelley men are facing serious felony drug trafficking and weapons charges following a massive drug bust on Wednesday that yielded thousands of fentanyl pills, other drugs, and over 30 firearms. The operation, led by the Bingham County Joint Investigations Division, is considered a major victory in “disrupting drug trafficking and protecting the safety and well-being of our community,” says Shelley Police.

Mugshot: Michael Schlosser, Courtesy Bingham County Jail

Michael Schlosser, who was taken into custody immediately, is facing the most serious charges, including Trafficking Fentanyl, Trafficking Methamphetamine, Trafficking Heroin, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He is also charged with Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and as a Persistent Violator.

Mark Butler is also being charged and will be summoned to court on counts of Trafficking Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, according to Shelley Police.

What They Found

The police spent 11 hours processing the scene at 307 N Park Avenue after investigators obtained a search warrant for the home. The search uncovered a substantial cache of illegal drugs and weapons, which investigators suspected were the profits and materials used in a large narcotics operation:

Over 3,100 fentanyl pills

Approximately 10.5 ounces of methamphetamine

Multiple containers of black and brown heroin

Over 30 firearms, illegally possessed by a convicted felon

$12,000 in cash

Smaller quantities of cocaine, Xanax, marijuana, and hundreds of items of drug paraphernalia.

How the Raid Went Down

Investigators with the Bingham County Joint Investigations Division arrived at the home around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. The operation was part of a coordinated and collaborative effort by detectives from the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Blackfoot Police Department, and the Shelley Police Department.

Given the criminal history of the men involved and the potential presence of firearms, the Shelley Police say they coordinated with local members of the STAR Team (SWAT) to ensure the safety of their officers and the public.

During the initial approach to the house, police deployed a Bearcat armored vehicle. All residents were safely removed and detained without incident before allowing the detectives and a drug-sniffing K-9 to begin their search, eventually uncovering the enormous stash of drugs, firearms, and cash.

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CNN Newsource

Originally Published: 09 OCT 25 15:12 ET

By Sahana Patel

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    MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho (KIVI) — A former volunteer at NXT Dream Center in Mountain Home is sharing her experience working alongside Pastor Gregory Wayne Jones, who faces human sex trafficking and sexual assault charges.

Whitney Owens dedicated 20 hours a week at NXT Dream Center and attended Liberty Christian Fellowship Church in Mountain Home, both organizations run by Jones and his family. Jones is currently out on a $1 million bond awaiting trial.

Court records obtained by Idaho News 6 through a public records request state that Jones used his position in the church to sexually abuse women, claiming it was part of spiritual healing. The documents also said one of the victims was 17 at the time of the alleged offense.

“He was given a gift to lead in the church, and yet he used it to take advantage of many people,” Owens said.

Owens tells me she volunteered with children alongside Jones for about a year, and looking back, she says there were red flags.

“He never asked me to get a background check. I worked with these children for 20 hours a week. And I never had a background check. And I realized how many people were working with my child at this place who never had a background check,” Owens said.

She also recalls moments during church services that didn’t sit right with her. Owens said Jones would rebuke people during sermons, including a person she believed was the main victim in the case.

“He knew that somebody was watching on the video platform,” Owens said. “He said something along the lines of, ‘How dare you criticize your spiritual father’.”

In August, Idaho News 6 spoke exclusively with a group of survivors outside the Elmore County Courthouse, where we first met Owens, who was there to show her support.

“The victims that have come forward, I am so grateful [for them] because I could see that the road that I was going down with him, opening myself up, being so vulnerable, allowing myself to be there so much of the time, not asking questions about the red flags that were there, that it could have happened to me,” Owens said.

I reached out to both the defense and the prosecutor’s office for comment, but have yet to hear back.

Jones initially pleaded not guilty and in August, tried to strike a plea deal, which the judge denied.

When asked what she would like to say to Jones on behalf of the community and for herself, Owens responded: “How dare you? You stole so many good things from all of us. And you betrayed us. And you lied to us.”

Owens said she’s moving forward one day at a time but feels this case leaves a deep wound in the entire Mountain Home neighborhood.

“I do hope that our community can come back from this and we can find a way to support our children again and provide those things for them. Our kids deserve that,” Owens said.

Jones is set to appear in Elmore County Court on December 5th.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KIVI’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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