TACOMA, WA – Joseph Anthony Cannarozzi, 41, of Vancouver, Washington, will spend the next decade behind bars after being sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma for a prolific drug and firearms operation. Cannarozzi peddled deadly fentanyl pills while simultaneously running an illegal anabolic steroid business, all while armed with multiple firearms. The sentence, handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge David G Estudillo, reflects the devastating impact of Cannarozzi’s actions.
The case originated in May 2021 when pills found on a fatal overdose victim were traced back to Cannarozzi. Despite knowing his product was potentially lethal, Cannarozzi continued to deal, amassing a stockpile of roughly 10,000 fentanyl pills disguised as legitimate prescription medication. “This case is not about a statistic, it is about an individual who passed away from a mix of substance you sold him for money,” Judge Estudillo stated during the sentencing. U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman added, “That conduct, coupled with his possession of multiple firearms, justifies this significant prison sentence.”
Investigators with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office initiated surveillance on Cannarozzi’s home, observing a steady stream of customers arriving for suspected drug transactions. A subsequent search in October 2021 yielded the massive fentanyl haul, along with suspected steroids and detailed records of his drug distribution network. Six firearms were also seized from the property, adding another layer of danger to Cannarozzi’s criminal enterprise.
The investigation uncovered “Locked and Loaded,” Cannarozzi’s online business used to sell steroids and other medications. Financial records revealed that over $1 million flowed through accounts associated with the illicit operation. Cannarozzi was federally charged in August 2022 and ultimately pleaded guilty on March 6, 2024, to possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster, in a pre-sentencing memo, laid bare the gravity of Cannarozzi’s actions. “The nation’s ongoing fentanyl-death epidemic would not be possible without suppliers like Cannarozzi. He trafficked in large quantities of deadly fentanyl pills disguised as prescription drugs. He did this despite knowing the pills could kill. He sold those pills to (the victim) and other customers, and he kept selling the pills even after they caused (the victim’s) death.”
The successful prosecution was a collaborative effort involving the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, the Vancouver Police Department, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), and the United States Postal Service. Foerster is handling the prosecution. Cannarozzi’s decade-long sentence sends a clear message: profiting from the misery and death caused by fentanyl will not be tolerated.
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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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