Tacoma – Twenty-seven folks had been indicted by a grand jury for drug trafficking, and lots of of these within the indictment are tied to the “Aryan Household,” a white supremacist jail gang, introduced U.S. Legal professional Nick Brown. Twenty-four of the defendants have been arrested during the last 5 days in Washington and Arizona. The alleged chief of the drug trafficking group, Jesse James Bailey, can be an influential member of the Aryan Household jail gang. Bailey is alleged to have trafficked big quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and different medicine in Washington, Idaho, and to Alaska. Bailey and lots of different defendants could have detention hearings in Tacoma as we speak.
“Whereas the dozen counts on this indictment don’t element each prison second on this conspiracy, it does present one exceptional statistic: 48 firearms seized on this case even earlier than final week’s takedown,” stated U.S. Legal professional Nick Brown. “On Wednesday we took one other 177 weapons off the road and extra kilos of fentanyl and meth. The extent of hazard is excessive when you might have folks linked to Aryan jail gangs spreading medicine and utilizing weapons in our group.”
“This operation was the fruits of a 12 months and a half of nice investigative work,” stated Richard A. Collodi, Particular Agent in Cost of the FBI’s Seattle discipline workplace. “We had been capable of arrest over 20 topics, a few of whom are alleged to have operated this drug group from jail, and likewise prevented huge portions of harmful medicine from being offered on our streets. I am so pleased with how the FBI, together with our federal, state, and native companions labored collectively to maintain our group secure.”
On Wednesday March 22, 2023, the coordinated takedown involving ten swat groups and greater than 350 regulation enforcement officers resulted within the seizure of an extra 177 firearms, greater than ten kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl capsules and greater than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and greater than $330,000 in money from eighteen areas in Washington and Arizona.
These defendants have been indicted by the grand jury. All are in federal custody except in any other case famous.
Jesse James Bailey, 39, of Steilacoom, Washington, in custody
Thomas Carver, 59, of Auburn, Washington in custody
Bryson Gill, 30, of Buckeye, Arizona, in custody in Arizona
Yehoshua Kilp, 37, incarcerated in Washington State jail
Gustavo Castellanos-Tapia, 37, of Burien, Washington, in custody
Candice Bailey, 41, of Steilacoom, in custody
Ronald McComb, 58, of Ridgefield, Washington, in custody
Keagen Larsen, 28, at the moment incarcerated in King County Jail
Sean Moinette, 54, of Spanaway, Washington in custody
Gregory Beers, 30, of Edgewood, Washington, being sought by regulation enforcement
Michael Warren, 63, of Shelton, Washington, in custody
Michael Slocumb, 44, of Concho, Arizona, in custody in Arizona
Isaac Cervantes, 24, of Phoenix, in custody in Arizona
Sara Thompson, 37, of Bonney Lake, Washington, in custody
Shawn Ellis, 31, of Renton, Washington, in custody
Eric Smith, 52, incarcerated in Washington State jail
Joseph Hempel, 45, of Burien, Washington, in custody
Stephanie Yepez, 42, being sought by regulation enforcement
Daniel Hammond, 41, of Puyallup, Washington, in custody
Philip Boorkman, 40, of Seattle, in custody
C’La Morales, 36, of Pierce County, in custody
Ronnie Griffin, 64, of Tacoma, in custody
Anna Sarnes, 37, of Quilcene, Washington, in custody
Anthony Escoto, 51, of Tukwila, in custody
William Tripp, 34, being sought by regulation enforcement
Dana Hanson, 57, of Burbank, Washington, in custody
Justin Hanson, 48, of Burbank, Washington in custody
Earlier than final week’s takedown, in the course of the 12 months that the ring was beneath investigation, regulation enforcement seized 830,000 fentanyl capsules, 5.5 kilos of fentanyl powder, 223 kilos of methamphetamine, 3.5 kilos of heroin, 5 kilos of cocaine, $388,000 in money, and 48 firearms.
“The sheer quantity of narcotics seized on this investigation is stunning,” stated Jacob D. Galvan, Appearing Particular Agent in Cost, DEA Seattle. “The fentanyl seized on this operation contained sufficient deadly doses to kill everybody who lives in Tacoma and Seattle, with sufficient deadly doses left over to poison one other half 1,000,000 folks.
“DOC is honored to be a part of this interdisciplinary job drive,” stated Division of Corrections Secretary Cheryl Unusual. “It takes a extremely expert staff to research, disrupt and dismantle a classy group of criminals like this. Fentanyl use by incarcerated people and people beneath DOC supervision in the neighborhood has turn into a significant issue. Eradicating a significant provider of this lethal drug is a big victory for all Washingtonians.”
“Combatting giant prison enterprises who’ve tentacles into our communities, prisons, and borders can’t be completed with out partnerships in any respect ranges. This joint effort demonstrates our capabilities to research and seize firearms, narcotics and enormous quantities of money used to destabilize our communities and establishments,” stated Particular Agent in Cost Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations within the Pacific Northwest. “We’re grateful to the FBI, DEA, ATF, CBP, Tacoma PD, Thurston County Narcotics Process Drive and all our companions on this investigation which made the dismantlement of this group potential.”
“This operation is an instance of the distinction we are able to make after we collaborate to maintain unlawful weapons and medicines from hitting our streets,” stated Chief Avery Moore, Tacoma Police Division. “Weapons and medicines have taken the lives of our family members, associates, neighbors, and group members. The contraband confiscated on this effort is not going to be allowed to hurt anybody. The Tacoma Police Division, together with our regulation enforcement companions is not going to cease within the pursuit to carry those that got down to hurt and exploit our communities to justice.”
This case is a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Process Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, cash launderers, gangs, and transnational prison organizations that threaten america through the use of a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency method that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and native regulation enforcement businesses in opposition to prison networks.
This investigation was led by the FBI with essential investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Division of Corrections and vital native help from the Tacoma Police Division, Pierce County Sheriff’s Workplace, and the Thurston County Narcotics Process Drive, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Workplace. All through this investigation the next businesses assisted the first investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Safety Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Workplace, Lakewood Police Division, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
Along with the businesses above, on Wednesday March 22, 2023, brokers and officers from FBI Phoenix, DEA Phoenix Subject Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Puyallup Tribal Police, and the Vancouver, Pasco, Kennewick, Puyallup, Steilacoom, and Burien Police Departments, the Clark, Cowlitz, Jefferson, King, and Benton County Sheriff’s Places of work all assisted with arrests and search warrants.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Max Shiner and Zach Dillon.