Charles Michael McClain, Fentanyl Trafficking, Washington 2025

A Spokane man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking operation in Eastern Washington.

Charles Michael McClain, 40, was sentenced on May 6, 2025, after a jury found him guilty of the charges. He was found to have been supplying fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and methamphetamine to dealers in the Clarkston area.

Agents with the Quad Cities Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at McClain's apartment on Riverton Avenue in Spokane in May 2024. They found various drug paraphernalia, 359 fentanyl pills, and a firearm under McClain's pillow. He also had approximately $18,000 in cash in the apartment.

According to court documents, McClain told agents that he had been purchasing approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills and 10 ounces of fentanyl powder every month for about a year. He had planned to make another purchase using some of the cash found in his apartment on the day of the warrant execution.

McClain has a prior conviction in Washington state court for Delivery of a Controlled Substance, for which he was sentenced to 84 months in state custody.

U.S. Attorney Pete Serrano said that fighting the drug epidemic is an important part of building a safe and strong foundation for Eastern Washington. "Deadly drugs claim more victims every day, including here in Eastern Washington. We are prioritizing the prosecution of these cases and working with our law enforcement partners to vigorously disrupt the sources of drugs in our communities, keeping these dangerous substances out of the hands of drug traffickers and out of our communities," he said.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Quad Cities Drug Task Force, which is a multi-jurisdiction task force involving the Lewiston Idaho Police Department, Clarkston Washington Police Department, and the Whitman County Sheriff's Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca R. Perez.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/spokane-man-sentenced-20-years-prison-trafficking-fentanyl-and-methamphetamine