Twenty Charged In Drug Conspiracy Distributing Heroin & Meth Throughout King, Pierce, Snohomish And Thurston Counties
SEATTLE - A task force led by the Drug Enforcement (DEA) today arrested 15 people and continues to search for an additional six defendants charged in connection with a long-term investigation of drug trafficking. Law enforcement served search warrants at eight locations and searched more than a dozen vehicles. At locations in Tacoma, Seattle, Auburn, Fife, Renton, Bonney Lake, and Tumwater, officers and agents seized more than a dozen weapons, 11 pounds of heroin and more than $40,000 in cash. The defendants arrested today will appear at 2:30 today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma.
DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis said, “Today’s success is due to the strong partnerships built within the law enforcement community which collectively came together with the vision to remove an armed drug trafficking group representing imminent danger to our communities.”
The lead defendant in this case is Derrick Donnell Taylor-Nairn, 32, of Seattle, who was at the center of the drug trafficking conspiracy. Four other defendants, Jessica Plascencia Hernandez, 34, of Renton, Jose Margarito Maldonado, 38, of Bonney Lake, Lebret Marquis Richardson, 37 of Fife, and Andrew Leie Young, 34, of Seattle, allegedly supplied large quantities of methamphetamine and face longer potential sentences due to the drug quantities involved.
The 15 additional defendants named in the indictment are:
- Lisa Ann Adams, 42, of Lake Stevens
- David Earl Beeman, 51, of Tukwila
- Ian Edward Distrito, 41, of Auburn
- Shaiine Rodney Jardine, 29, of Puyallup
- Arthur Alonzo Jefferson, 59, of Lynnwood
- De’Andre Aaron Jones, 39, of Auburn
- Shannon Marie Leupold, 44, of Tumwater
- Rijaona C. Lashae Lindsey, 26, of Seattle
- Laura Ann Palpallatoc, 64, of Renton
- Souriyanh L. Pasomsouk, 43, of Federal Way
- Chad Michael Stahlman, 24, of Bonney Lake
- Cori Nicole Trombley, 33, of Tacoma
- Seresa Mae Walters, 40, of Tacoma
- Crystal Marlene Weaver, 36, of Bellevue
- Jack Ny Yim, 47, of Federal Way
One additional defendant was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint. Craig Fellers, SR., 49, of Seattle, was charged with making a false statement in connection with an attempted firearms purchase. In September 2017, Fellers attempted to purchase a semi-automatic assault pistol at the direction of drug ring-leader Taylor-Nairn. Fellers allegedly lied on purchase forms claiming the gun was for his personal use, when monitored telephone calls revealed the gun was being purchased for someone who is prohibited from possessing firearms. After being alerted by law enforcement the gun store refused to sell Fellers the gun.
”I commend the strong partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement that led to charges against 20 defendants responsible for pumping the misery of methamphetamine into south King County and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “Working together we were able to use federal tools such as wiretaps to unmask those behind the drug crimes that have plagued many of our suburban neighborhoods and communities.”
“We are very proud of our partnership with the Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Taskforce,” said Puyallup Chief of Police Scott Engle. “Our partnership reveals the strength of federal and local agencies working together to make our communities safer. I am proud of all the hard work done by detectives and task force officers.”
The charges contained in the indictment and criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This was an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task (OCDETF) investigation, providing supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved. This investigation was conducted by DEA Tacoma, the Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement (TNET), and the Puyallup Police Department, with significant assistance from Bonney Lake, Auburn and Kent Police Departments. The investigation was supported by agents from Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, deputies from the United States Marshals Service, and analysts from the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) and National Guard.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Marci L. Ellsworth and C. Andrew Colasurdo.
