Category: kifi-local-news

News Team

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A local moving company owner faces a felony grand theft charge after allegedly accepting over $13,000 to move a family’s belongings to California and failing to perform the job.

Golden Barrett, 44, owner of Premier Coordinators, was charged following an investigation by local law enforcement.

According to a criminal affidavit, an Idaho Falls woman hired Barrett in August 2025 to take her parents’ belongings from Idaho Falls to California. Court documents show she paid Barrett a total of $13,875 for the service, including a $1,500 deposit via Venmo and a $12,375 cashier’s check.

Barrett’s company was scheduled to complete the move to California on September 5 or 6, 2025, but the movers never arrived. After receiving multiple excuses from Barrett, the victim told police that he cut off all communication and stopped responding to her messages, according to the affidavit.

The woman filed a police report with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office on September 8, providing text message screenshots, a copy of the Venmo receipt, and a copy of the cashier’s check as evidence. The case was later transferred to the Idaho Falls Police Department.

On October 2, an IFPD investigator reached out to Barrett. According to court records, Barrett claimed he was hospitalized during the scheduled move date and that hospital staff had confiscated his cell phone.

“He claimed his employees were unaware of what to do in his absence and therefore failed to show up at the scheduled address,” court documents state. “Barrett further claimed his employees were not ‘trained’ on how to move furniture, so they ‘just didn’t show up.'”

During the recorded interview, Barrett argued the dispute was a civil matter rather than a criminal one, suggesting the client take him to civil court. However, when informed that law enforcement was investigating the incident as potential criminal fraud, court documents state Barrett became emotional and begged officers not to file charges.

Barrett claimed he intended to contact the victim directly to “make things right” and promised to hand-deliver a refund check. When the investigator asked why he could not issue a refund via Venmo, the same platform used for the deposit, Barrett claimed the State of Idaho had frozen and seized his bank accounts over unresolved tax issues.

In October, the woman contacted police to officially file charges against Barrett. A warrant for Barrett’s arrest was issued in late March. Barrett was held on a $20,000 bond and made his initial court appearance on Sept. 4. His arraignment has been set for Sept. 28th.

If convicted of felony grand theft, Barrett faces up to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Charges and a criminal complaint merely contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — An Idaho tech CEO has been arrested as part of what the New York Post has dubbed a “Cold War-style plot” to land lucrative U.S. government contracts.

Oxygen Forensics CEO Lee Reiber, 55, of Boise, Idaho, and a Russian national have been charged in federal court with conspiracy to commit wire fraud after allegedly concealing the Russian ownership and development of the company, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Idaho announced today.

Reiber was arrested Sunday, September 20th, by federal agents in Idaho. He made his initial appearance Tuesday, Sept. 22, in U.S. District Court in Boise, where he was released on bond.

His co-defendant, 52-year-old Oleg Sergeyevich Davydov of Moscow, was arrested the same day at London’s Heathrow Airport while attempting to board a flight to Istanbul. The U.S. is currently seeking Davydov’s extradition.

Among the deals landed through the alleged scheme was a five-year contract with the U.S. Secret Service’s National Computer Forensics Institute, alongside contracts with the Department of Defense and components of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Digital forensics software is used by law enforcement agencies “to recover, preserve, and analyze electronic data from digital devices while keeping the original files unchanged,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Concealing Russian Ownership and Sanctions Evasion

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, after the United States imposed expanded sanctions on Russia in early 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Davydov, Reiber, and the Russian co-conspirators agreed to conceal Oxygen Forensics’ true ownership and the development of its software in Russia.

In reality, federal prosecutors allege Oxygen Forensics was secretly owned and controlled by five Russian nationals through a Cyprus-based holding company. The owners also control MKO Systems LLC (formerly Oxygen Software LLC), a Russian firm co-founded by Davydov in 2000.

“Davydov was the Russian company’s chief technology officer and was responsible for the development of its software. He helped establish Oxygen Forensics in Virginia in 2013. Reiber joined the company in August 2015,” said Ciaran McEvoy, Public Information Officer for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, in a news release.

The court affidavit states that developers writing the software worked in Russia. Under different product names, MKO sold the same software in Russia to high-profile state entities, including the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Russian Investigative Committee, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Beginning in March 2022 and continuing to the present, Reiber was installed as the company’s CEO, president, and chairman of the board, and Russian owners were then removed from the company’s public corporate filings in a conspiracy to secure contracts from federal agencies through Oxygen Forensics Inc.

“The company’s Russian owners continued to make significant decisions and set Reiber’s compensation, overruled him on payments, and held signatory authority over the company’s bank accounts,” prosecutors noted.

Prosecutors allege Reiber also actively misled government officials about the software’s background. In his role as CEO, Reiber repeatedly certified to government agencies that Oxygen Forensics had no foreign ownership or control and that its software was developed in the United States, according to court filings.

The complaint does not allege that the software contained malicious code or that it was used to gain unauthorized access to any customer’s computer systems or data.

What Happens Now

If convicted, each defendant faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, with assistance from the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service Cyber Field Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is assisting with Davydov’s extradition.

A criminal complaint merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Editor’s Note: AI tools were utilized in the initial research and structural development of this article. All content is thoroughly reviewed and verified for accuracy by the Local News 8 editorial team.

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Danielle Mullenix

TETON COUNTY, Wyo (KIFI) – Law enforcement in Teton County, Wyoming, is currently working to identify human remains recently discovered in a remote section of the Targhee National Forest earlier this month.

The discovery was first reported by the Jackson Hole News & Guide. The remains were found on Sept. 13 by two bow hunters tracking a wounded elk near Starvation Peak and Mosquito Creek, within the Palisades Wilderness Study Area.

“We are doing a forensic and anthropological examination to determine identification, cause, and manner of death,” said Teton County Coroner Brent Blue. “It will probably be some period of time before any details will be available.”

At this time, the Teton County Sheriff’s Office and Search & Rescue have told Jackson Hole News & Guide that they have no suspicion of foul play.

Investigators are reviewing missing-person reports in Teton County and nearby areas, including Teton and Bonneville counties in Idaho. Due to the location of the recovery site, Sgt. John Faicco mentioned that the deceased individual may have entered the area from the Idaho side near Palisades Reservoir.

Teton County Deputy Coroner Russell Nelson, a forensic anthropologist, stated that the remains were those of a robust man, approximately 5 feet 8 inches in height, and estimated to be between 45 and 65 years old. The remains are estimated to be between three and four years old.

The Sheriff’s Office urges anyone who can identify the description or knows of a man who has gone missing in the area over the last few years to contact the agency at its non-emergency number, 307-733-2331.

Local News 8 will continue to track this developing story.

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Seth Ratliff

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — All lanes of southbound Interstate 15 near the Blackfoot Rest Area have reopened after emergency crews cleared a two-truck crash that hospitalized a Boise man Thursday.

The crash happened at 8:13 a.m. near the Blackfoot Rest Area (mile marker 101). Idaho State Police says a 30-year-old Boise man was driving south in a 2007 box truck when he rear-ended a southbound 1986 dump truck.

Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts. Lt. Todd Orr with the Idaho State Police confirmed that emergency responders took the Boise driver to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls. The extent of the driver’s injuries is currently unknown.

The southbound lanes were blocked for around 3 hours while crews investigated the crash and worked to clear the scene.

The Idaho Transportation Department is directing drivers to use caution while traveling through the area.

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David Pace

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Hundreds donned red helmets and learned about fires and safety Wednesday at Idaho Falls Fire Department’s annual Fire Prevention Block Party.

Kids and families met Sparky the Fire Dog, tried on fire suits, climbed into ladder trucks, dragged giant teddy bears across the parking lot and sprayed jets of water from fire hoses.

Idaho Falls Fire Chief Johan Olson cooked up hundreds of hot dogs donated by the Community Food Basket.

Local News 8’s David Pace was at the scene and brings us a crash course in fire safety in the above video from inside Idaho National Laboratory’s fire simulation trailer.

The event marked the department’s largest community gathering of the year – designed to combine hands-on fire safety education with local community fun.

The block party provided residents a chance to interact with first responders outside of emergencies. Children and families toured the station, met local firefighters, and learned through hands-on booths and demonstrations, including;

Fire engine tours Face painting Kids’ firefighting challenges Fire safety education Live demonstrations from event sponsors Photos with Sparky the Fire Dog

“We just want to make sure that everybody in the community knows that they’re welcome to come down,” said Idaho Falls Fire Chief Johan Olson. “We got some great food, we got great people. We got some fun activities and some opportunities to learn a little bit about fire safety.”

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Whether you’ve seen them in Pocatello, Idaho Falls, or interstate interchanges elsewhere, Flock cameras have become as commonplace as they are controversial in eastern Idaho. Now Pocatello residents are getting their chance to weigh in.

The City of Pocatello and the Pocatello Police Department will host a public town hall session on Oct. 21 to gather community feedback regarding automated license plate scanning cameras.

Mayor Mark Dahlquist and the City Council will be present for the meeting, having already heard a separate presentation from the police department about Flock camera procedures in August. The police department will give a similar presentation to the attending public at 6 p.m. on October 21.

Following the presentation, the City will host a question-and-answer session for residents to clarify anything about Flock cameras in the area. According to DeFlock, there are 46 Flock cameras in the Pocatello-Chubbuck area.

At the August City Council work session, Police Chief Robert Schei confirmed none of those are used for immigration purposes. Schei also confirmed Flock cameras have increased the workforce for police, stating they can use the cameras in lieu of sending multiple officers on a chase for a criminally active vehicle.

The press release from the City of Pocatello states there will be a sign-in sheet available at the Council Chambers entry table by 5:30 p.m. on the day of the town hall meeting. Anyone wanting to speak is encouraged to sign up prior to the start of the meeting and each person will be given three minutes on the mic.

If you’re unable to attend, the City says you can watch the meeting the following day on the City of Pocatello YouTube channel.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Local toddler Bootsey Darrington has just earned a Guinness World Record for being the youngest person to visit every Disney Theme Park. The award was not planned by the family, simply a lucky coincidence as they travelled the world for her mother’s job.

“I will be completely honest, it was not a purposeful attempt to gain this world record,” Jess Darrington, Bootsey’s mom and long-time travel blogger, said. “Throughout the course of the last several years, we’ve just happened to be in places that a Disney is present for my job and work assignments.”

Jess had been a travel blogger for years as part of her career. When she had children, some people thought she wouldn’t be able to go on these adventures anymore. But she had a different idea.

“The whole goal when I created my second page, when my baby was born, was to help parents feel confident to get out of the house with their babies,” Jess said.

Jess began her travel blogs, where.is.briggs (TikTok) or whereisbriggs (Instagram) as a way to prove to other parents traveling is possible. Her goal is to share all of the tips and tricks she’s learned from her travels with other parents.

“I’m not going to beat around the bush. It’s definitely more challenging traveling with little babies and toddlers on airplanes, especially those long haul flights,” Jess said. “But the memories that we’ve made have been absolutely worth the long flights.”

Although there are some who question whether or not young children should even have these adventures because they will forget them, having these experiences could help with a child’s development. And, at the end of the day, the parents can keep these memories with them.

“I will say the memories that my husband and I have made, I hope to remember them forever,” Jess said.

Some advice on traveling with your toddlers from where.is.briggs and from many online parents is to:

Pack a variety of snacks Bring different forms of entertainment Toys Games A tablet with pre-downloaded shows Coloring books Pack extra clothes, diapers, wipes, and medicine Don’t worry about judgement Toddlers and babies cry, make noises, throw fits; people will understand

You can find more travel hacks at where.is.briggs or whereisbriggs.

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Seth Ratliff

CUSTER COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A multi-agency search and rescue operation is underway for an overdue hunter in Custer County.

The Custer County Sheriff’s Office reported missing hunter Kelly King on Tuesday after he failed to return from a trip in the Morgan Creek and Gooseberry areas. King was last seen driving an all-terrain vehicle, which deputies shared a photo of on Facebook.

Courtesy: Custer County Sheriff-Idaho

The search intensified Wednesday morning as the Idaho National Guard, Civil Air Patrol, and Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue Unit provided aircraft, ATV, and UTV teams to sweep the area from above and on the ground.

Authorities are directing the public to steer clear of the search area to avoid disrupting the search and to preserve any tracks that may belong to King.

Anyone with information regarding Kelly King’s whereabouts or who may have seen his vehicle in the Morgan Creek or Gooseberry areas is urged to contact the Custer County Sheriff’s Office.

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Maile Sipraseuth

DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI)– The iconic Spud Drive-In has been closed since a 2022 windstorm destroyed its movie screen. Now, developers are moving forward with plans to rebuild the theater and transform the property into a larger entertainment destination.

Tom Hedges, an owner and developer with MD Spud, says crews could break ground as early as October 1, weather permitting, and the redevelopment will happen in phases.

“The first phase is prioritizing getting the theater back up and running for the community,” Hedges said.

The second phase will add a new concession and restaurant building, called Murphy’s Mountain Diner.

Developers also plan to add 10 overnight cabins on the back portion of the property, turning the Spud into what Hedges describes as a drive-in theater and resort.

The project is designed to keep some of the features longtime visitors remember while adding new amenities.

One of the biggest changes will be the construction of a new movie screen designed to better withstand Teton Valley’s weather.

“Under the new special use permit, we can use steel to build the structure for the screen. And so it will be fully wind proof, climate proof, blizzard proof. The actual front of the screen will be a wooden facade instead of a screen. So it will be, as burly as you can make build a drive in movie screen,” Hedges said.

The redevelopment has also brought concerns from nearby residents about noise.

“They’ve had a lot of quiet time over the last four years, which I’m sure they enjoyed,” Hedges said, “We’ve agreed to some conditions to do so, including making sure that we do a really good job of screening the theater, all around the property with both fencing and landscaping, big trees, and face the speakers downwards and centered.”

Hedges says the new and improved Spud Drive-In will be fully open by early to mid Summer 2028.

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – A beloved furniture store from Idaho Falls has officially expanded to Pocatello. On September 23, members of the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce and employees and owners of Modern Home cut the ribbon on their new location.

Modern Home started ten years ago in Idaho Falls, when the Sparks family moved to Idaho. Owner Alan Sparks said they loved the colder weather and mountains of the area and opened their first Modern Home store in Idaho Falls.

The pinnacle of Modern Home is their family-oriented style of business. Sparks’ two sons operate the stores across the state. Sparks also mentioned the Bank of Commerce was essential in expanding to Pocatello, as was Construction Solutions.

Sparks Family cuts the ribbon on Pocatello Modern Home, September 23

“We looked at the numbers and realized there was a lot of people coming to Idaho Falls from Pocatello in our store shopping for furniture,” Sparks said. “There was just a lot of demand that we saw for what we think is a nice furniture store in Pocatello.”

When asked how he best describes his company, Sparks said, “It’s a family company.” The ability to expand to the Gate City was only possible because his son Danon and family were willing to manage the new location. “It’s key for us to be able to give really good service, and to have our family and sons as part owners and have people who really care about the business and the consumer in store is really important to us.”

After successfully running Sparks Furniture stores in Arizona, the owner said Modern Home better described the goal of the Idaho Falls and Pocatello stores.

“We’re trying to bring furniture that’s current, modern and fresh to style today,” Sparks said. “The entire store is tagged on sale for the grand opening. We also have a lot of stock, we’ve tried really hard to stock the product that we have now.”

Sparks also said there is custom order availability at the Pocatello location to change aspects of the pieces.

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