Tacoma, Washington – In a major blow to organized crime, a 32-year-old Renton resident has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking ring connected to Aryan prison gangs.
Shawn Ellis was arrested in March 2023, after a two-year investigation by federal agents revealed a significant amount of controlled substances and firearms in his possession.
According to court records, Ellis was a prolific drug redistributor who obtained large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from one branch of the conspiracy and sold them to other customers for profit.
At the time of his arrest, agents seized buckets filled with fentanyl pills and kilos of methamphetamine, as well as four firearms, including a machine gun. Ellis also had body armor and a homemade silencer in his possession.
Ellis was prohibited from possessing firearms due to two prior felony drug convictions.
The investigation, led by the FBI, also resulted in the arrest of two dozen individuals on federal charges in March 2023. Law enforcement seized a total of 177 firearms, over 10 kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills, and over a kilo of fentanyl powder from 18 locations in Washington and Arizona.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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