G.B. Brown Sentenced to Six Years for Oxycodone Trafficking, Lacey …

LACEY, WA – G.B. BROWN, 54, of Lacey, Washington, is headed to federal prison for six years after being convicted of trafficking oxycodone and attempting to hide the profits. U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle handed down the sentence October 1, 2013, alongside a five-year term of supervised release. This isn’t Brown’s first rodeo with the law; he’s a repeat felony drug offender, making this conviction all the more significant.

The bust went down June 9, 2011, thanks to a solid investigation by the South Sound Gang Task Force. The investigation revealed Brown was a key link in a pipeline funneling oxycodone pills from California into the south Puget Sound region. Law enforcement tracked multiple packages of the highly addictive painkillers shipped directly to Brown’s Lacey address. He wasn’t just receiving, he was actively trying to expand the operation, attempting to purchase a massive quantity of pills from a confidential informant.

But Brown wasn’t content with simply dealing drugs. He attempted to launder the dirty money, making numerous withdrawals of cash – just under the $10,000 reporting threshold – from his bank accounts over several consecutive days. He then consolidated these funds, totaling $45,000, to pay for the oxycodone he had in his possession at the time of his arrest. This financial maneuvering earned him a conviction on a structuring charge, and the court ordered the forfeiture of an additional $49,300 remaining in one of his accounts.

Prosecutors didn’t pull any punches in their sentencing memo, laying bare the devastating impact of oxycodone abuse on the community. They argued that Brown wasn’t just a drug dealer, but a peddler of dependency, trapping users in a cycle of addiction that often leads to further crime. “The dependency created by the drug, and supported by Brown and drug dealers like him, often haunts users for the rest of their lives,” the memo stated. “Illicit drug users…often end up then victimizing other people — usually either by robbing or stealing…in order to fund their expensive…drug habits.”

The memo went on to detail how the ripple effects of drug addiction extend far beyond the user, contributing to increased crime – including violent crime – and posing a public safety risk through accidents and property damage. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory A. Gruber prosecuted the case, successfully arguing for a substantial prison sentence that reflects the severity of Brown’s crimes and the damage he inflicted on the community.

The South Sound Gang Task Force deserves credit for dismantling this operation and taking a dangerous player off the streets. This case serves as a stark reminder that those who profit from the misery of others will be held accountable under federal law. The investigation and prosecution demonstrate a commitment to disrupting the flow of illegal drugs and protecting the citizens of Washington state.