Gustavo Castellanos-Tapia, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Washington 2024
Tacoma, Washington - A former attorney from Mexico was sentenced June 21, 2024, to 90 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.
Gustavo Castellanos-Tapia, 38, of Burien, Washington, was a significant supplier of methamphetamine to the drug trafficking organization with ties to the prison gang known as the “Aryan Family.”
Castellanos-Tapia was identified as a significant supplier of methamphetamine to the drug trafficking organization. Law enforcement had Castellanos-Tapia under surveillance and learned that he would deliver suitcases full of methamphetamine—some 30-40 pounds at a time—every few weeks.
Unlike some drug ring participants who become involved to feed their addiction, Castellanos-Tapia was not a drug user. In fact, he previously worked as a lawyer in Mexico and came to the U.S. in 2020 when the pandemic stalled the economy. He obtained work as a boat painter but got into drug dealing to increase his income.
Castellanos-Tapia and 23 other defendants were indicted and arrested in March 2023. Over the course of the investigation, agents seized from members of the drug trafficking organization an estimated 255 pounds of methamphetamine, an estimated 830,000 fentanyl pills, more than 26 pounds of fentanyl powder, cocaine, six pounds of heroin, $668,000 of suspected drug proceeds, and 225 firearms.
Because Castellanos-Tapia was not legally present in the United States he likely will be deported following his prison term.
Defendant: Gustavo Castellanos-Tapia
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
City and State: Tacoma, Washington
Exact Date: June 21, 2024
Sentence or outcome: 90 months in prison
Dollar amounts: $668,000 in suspected drug proceeds
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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