Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood was rocked by a federal sentencing today as 51-year-old drug kingpin Alejandro Antonio Castillo faced justice for his relentless sale of marijuana to schoolchildren. Castillo, a resident not far from Ballard High School, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge James L. Robart.
Castillo’s illegal activities came to light when a middle school parent reported students purchasing pot from his home in March 2013. Undercover officers soon confirmed the extent of Castillo’s operation, which targeted both high school and middle school students from area schools.
In April 2013, Seattle Police observed teens leaving Castillo’s home with what appeared to be marijuana. On one occasion, 18 teens were spotted at the house in a three-hour period following Ballard High School hours. Undercover buys were made on four separate occasions, further solidifying the evidence against Castillo.
During a search warrant served on April 24, 2013, police seized nearly 1,200 grams of marijuana, multiple firearms, and over $4,700 in cash from the home, which had been previously targeted in a home invasion robbery. Castillo’s defense that he sold drugs to pay off bills was met with skepticism by Judge Robart, who emphasized the danger of drugs and guns combined.
Castillo pleaded guilty in December 2013 after being charged federally in September of that year. The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department and the DEA, with Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs leading the prosecution.
U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan noted the importance of enforcing restrictions on selling marijuana to minors and using firearms to protect illegal activities, especially in light of Washington’s regulated marijuana laws.
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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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