– Major methamphetamine supplier to drug trafficking organization
– Former Mexican lawyer sentenced to more than seven years in prison.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Tacoma – A former attorney from Mexico, Gustavo Castellanos-Tapia, 38, of Burien, Washington, was sentenced on June 21, 2024, to 90 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Castellanos-Tapia was identified as a significant supplier of methamphetamine to a drug trafficking organization with ties to the prison gang known as the “Aryan Family.” Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo imposed the sentence, rejecting claims from the defense that Castellanos-Tapia played a minor role in the drug ring.
Law enforcement had Castellanos-Tapia under surveillance and discovered that he was delivering suitcases filled with methamphetamine, ranging from 30 to 40 pounds, every few weeks to the drug trafficking organization. Unlike some participants in drug rings who are driven by addiction, Castellanos-Tapia was not a drug user. He had previously worked as a lawyer in Mexico and moved to the U.S. in 2020 due to the economic impact of the pandemic. Although he initially worked as a boat painter, he turned to drug dealing to increase his income.
Castellanos-Tapia, along with 23 other defendants, was indicted and arrested in March 2023. Throughout the investigation, agents seized an estimated 255 pounds of methamphetamine, around 830,000 fentanyl pills, over 26 pounds of fentanyl powder, cocaine, six pounds of heroin, $668,000 in suspected drug proceeds, and 225 firearms from members of the drug trafficking organization.
Prosecution’s Argument and Impact on the Community
Prosecutors requested a nine-year prison sentence for Castellanos-Tapia, highlighting the increase in overdose deaths in Washington by over 27% in the year preceding December 2023. They emphasised the devastating impact of drugs like methamphetamine on the community, leading to thefts and violent crimes by drug users to fuel their addictions. The prosecutors stated that these drugs were responsible for a significant percentage of crimes in the communities.
Due to Castellanos-Tapia’s lack of legal presence in the United States, he is likely to face deportation following the completion of his prison term. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, aimed at identifying and dismantling high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organisations that pose a threat to the United States.
Investigative Teamwork and Prosecution
The investigation was led by the FBI, with crucial support from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections, Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Additional support was provided by agencies such as the 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).
Assistant United States Attorneys Max Shiner and Zach Dillon are handling the prosecution of the case, identified as U.S. v Castellanos-Tapia CR23-5085.
.
“Western District Washington former Mexican lawyer methamphetamine supplier drug trafficking organization sentenced prison”.
A Teaspoon Before Bedtime Makes you Lose 32LBS in 2 Weeks.
Related Post : Remember Tiger Wood's Ex Wife, Elin Nordegren ? Take a Look at Her Now.
The Conjoined Twins Abby & Brittany Hensel are No Longer Together.
