Spokane, Washington – In a major blow to the region’s methamphetamine trade, the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded the Spokane Police Department $119,621.45 in asset forfeiture funds, the result of an investigation that turned up a massive meth stash and took down a notorious trafficker.
The funds, presented by U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref, were forfeited from the residence of Helmut Uwe Borchert, a 60-year-old Spokane man with a long history of drug possession and distribution dating back to the late 1980s. Borchert used his home at 1903 E. Main Avenue as a hub for his methamphetamine trafficking operation, storing an estimated 20 pounds of the highly addictive substance.
Borchert, who pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, followed by 5 years of court supervision. He was also ordered to forfeit his residence, which was subsequently sold by the U.S. Marshals Service, with the proceeds being shared with the Spokane Police Department.
The OCDETF investigation, which involved the DEA and SPD, resulted in the conviction of multiple defendants, including Michael Paul Swanson, who was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine. Jorge Octavio Valenzuela-Medrano, another defendant, was sentenced to 3 years in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine.
Leonardo Martinez, a fugitive, was indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. The United States seized $72,354 and two firearms from Martinez, who remains at large.
The asset forfeiture funds will be used by the Spokane Police Department to further its law enforcement efforts. The Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Program is designed to remove the tools of crime from criminal organizations, deprive wrongdoers of the proceeds of their crimes, and recover property that may be used to compensate victims. In this case, the program has delivered a significant blow to Spokane’s methamphetamine trade and brought a notorious trafficker to justice.”
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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