United States Drug Enforcement Administration

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, of Bonney Lake, Washington, was sentenced to seven years in prison.  Both defendants were arrested in connection with the investigation of drug trafficking organizations connected to the Aryan Family and Omerta prison gangs. At the sentencing hearing for Smith, Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “These drugs, particularly fentanyl, are creating a mess in our community. It creates people who can no longer function and leads to overdose and death.” 

“Mr. Smith and Ms. Thompson helped a hate group distribute over a million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl into our neighborhoods,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “We, at the Drug Enforcement Administration, and our partners will do everything in our power to stop those who try to poison and destroy our communities with drugs, violence, and hate.”

“Both of these defendants served as trusted coconspirators for the leaders of distribution cells identified in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “As such they are responsible for distributing hundreds of thousands of doses of potentially deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine. The damage done to our communities is severe.”

“Every Fentanyl pill introduced into our communities has the potential to destroy lives.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “The defendants conspired with others, including with individuals already incarcerated, to traffic these deadly pills into Washington state. The FBI and our partners will continue our efforts to keep these poisons off the streets and out of our neighborhoods.” 

According to records filed in the case, Eric Smith served as a trusted drug customer and redistributor for the leader of the criminal conspiracy, Jesse Bailey. Smith helped Bailey wash over 50 kilograms of methamphetamine to prepare it for distribution. Smith carried and was caught with various firearms while engaged in the drug trade. On November 1, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Sara Thompson pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Thompson is in a romantic relationship with the leader of the drug distribution cell, 39-year-old Yehoshua Kilp. Thompson served as Kilp’s proxy for major narcotics deals. Law enforcement raided the Airbnb she stayed at with Kilp immediately after one of these deals and seized nearly 45 kilograms of methamphetamine, and over 5 kilograms of fentanyl in powder and pill form. Thompson continued to sell drugs on behalf of the drug trafficking organization even after Kilp was arrested on state charges.

At her sentencing Chief Judge Estudillo said, “The crime that’s associated with controlled substances, the violence that’s sometimes associated with it . . . It’s just a path of destruction for everybody around it. . . .  These things have impact and there’s a reason why there’s significant consequences for this type of conduct.” 

Law enforcement made two dozen arrests on federal charges on March 22, 2023. The coordinated takedown involved ten swat teams and more than 350 law enforcement officers. On that day law enforcement seized 177 firearms, more than ten kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills and more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and more than $330,000 in cash from eighteen locations in Washington and Arizona. Earlier in the investigation law enforcement seized 830,000 fentanyl pills, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, 223 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of heroin, 5 pounds of cocaine, $388,000 in cash, and 48 firearms.

The top-level leader of the drug trafficking ring, Jesse Bailey, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 16, 2025, and his wife and co-conspirator Candace Bailey, is scheduled for sentencing on June 13, 2025.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).

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