SEATTLE – Curtis McDaniel, a 56-year-old U.S. citizen, has been sentenced to five years in prison for his role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy.
McDaniel, who was arrested at a Tukwila motel, was one of four people taken into custody in June 2024 as part of a DEA, Seattle Police Department, and IRS Criminal Investigation operation.
The investigation, which was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, uncovered a significant drug trafficking operation with ties to suppliers in Mexico and Colombia.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized 84,000 fentanyl pills, over a kilogram of fentanyl powder, 32 kilograms of cocaine, 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly three kilograms of heroin, and $71,000 in drug proceeds.
McDaniel’s sentencing comes after his co-defendants, Ramon Duarte Garcia and Humberto Lopez Rodriguez, were sentenced to 10 years and will face a future sentencing, respectively. Duarte Garcia was arrested with 12 pounds of methamphetamine and a stolen firearm.
U.S. District Judge Tana Lin referenced the significant impact that McDaniel’s distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine have had on the community, specifically noting that methamphetamine and cocaine were the second and third most common substances involved in overdose deaths in King County in 2024.
The investigation was led by the DEA and Seattle Police Department, with assistance from the IRS Criminal Investigation, OCDETF Auditor, and other local and federal agencies. The Colombian National Police and Colombian Prosecutor’s Office also partnered with U.S. law enforcement on the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joe Silvio and C. Andrew Colasurdo are prosecuting the cases from this investigation.
McDaniel will serve four years of supervised release following his prison term.
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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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