U.S. District Court in Tacoma sentenced a Vancouver man to 10 years in federal prison for drug and gun trafficking during a hearing on March 24, a year after local authorities and the FBI raided a Vancouver stash house.
Law enforcement arrested Juan Onofre Flores Carrillo, 49, and his co-defendant, Jesus Daniel Valenzuela Ayala, 24, after seizing seven pounds of fentanyl, 43 pounds of methamphetamine and an assault rifle equipped with a grenade launcher from their Vancouver stash house, a news release by the U.S. Department of Justice stated.
“These controlled substances create significant problems for the community. There are individuals who overdose and die from these substances and those who don’t become addicted and become a drain on everyone,” Chief U.S. District Judge David Estudillo said at the hearing.
Authorities began investigating Carrillo in early 2023 after identifying him as a major fentanyl dealer. Over a year, law enforcement used informants to arrange multiple drug and firearm purchases, including fentanyl pills, methamphetamine and high-powered rifles. Authorities made their arrest in March 2024 after Carrillo attempted to sell 10,000 fentanyl pills, the news release stated.
Valenzuela Ayala, the only occupant of the stash house, was sentenced to seven years in prison. Both men, Mexican nationals, will likely face deportation after serving their sentences, the news release stated.
