TACOMA, Wash. – Two members of drug trafficking organizations linked to Aryan prison gangs were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to twelve- and seven-year prison terms, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Eric Smith,54, of Tacoma, was sentenced to twelve years in prison and Sara Thompson, 39...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment this week charging three Kodiak residents with drug trafficking crimes in Alaska, including distributing fentanyl which resulted in a fatal overdose. According to court documents, between February 2022 and July 2023, Ashley Katelnikoff, 37, and Gerry Pugal, 37...

SEATTLE – Five Seattle-area men are in custody following a grand jury indictment for their drug trafficking activity in Seattle’s homeless encampments and International District, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The men are charged federally and have made their initial appearances over the last few days. “We are all...

Tacoma – A 66-year-old Tacoma man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 75 months in prison for his leadership role in a drug distribution ring tied to the white supremacist Aryan Family prison gang, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ronnie Griffin is the stepfather of...

A long-term wiretap investigation resulted in the arrest of a Brooklyn man and netted over 39 kilograms (more than 85 pounds) of cocaine and fentanyl, eight loaded firearms, and approximately $420,000 cash from the defendant’s car, which was parked outside of a residential building he owns at 151 Leonard Street...

As part of an ongoing investigation into fentanyl/heroin trafficking in New York City, federal, state and local law enforcement officers recovered over 13 pounds of drug mixtures, including fentanyl, heroin, xylazine, methamphetamine, and cocaine, from inside a packaging mill. The drugs are estimated to carry a street value of over...

Seattle – A 53-year-old resident of Rochester, Washington was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 7 years in prison for two federal felonies related to his armed drug trafficking activity. Waylan Graves was arrested twice in a four-month period in 2023, each time with distribution amounts of dangerous...

Spokane, Washington – On October 30, 2024, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Brian Jesus Zazueta, age 23, of Sunnyside, Washington, to 160 months in federal prison on drug trafficking charges. Judge Rice also imposed 5 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at...

Seattle – A 42-year-old Monroe, Washington resident was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Humberto Garcia was convicted in April 2024 following a week-long trial. Garcia was arrested in December 2020 with...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced Oct. 18 to 15 years in prison and five years’ supervised release for leading a multistate drug trafficking ring that trafficked kilos of heroin into Alaska and used firearms to further the conspiracy. According to court documents, in 2020, Samuel Frederick Davis...