A 35-year-old Mexican national, Iris Adrianna Amador-Garcia of Bellflower, California, was sentenced on June 2 in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 15 years in prison for her leadership role in a nationwide drug distribution ring, according to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Amador-Garcia arranged the distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, and heroin across several states and internationally, laundered drug proceeds, possessed firearms, and plotted to kill a Centralia police officer after a large drug seizure.
U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said during sentencing, “Threats against law enforcement is a line in the sand that is completely unacceptable.” Floyd said, “This criminal organization was well-organized, well-sourced, and well-connected. This defendant was prepared to take drastic measures to protect what she had built. She and her criminal associates were intercepted openly discussing killing an officer after a large shipment of drugs was seized.” He continued, “I am grateful for the diligent work of law enforcement to keep that officer safe, and to take these dangerous traffickers off the street and shut down their pipeline of devastating narcotics.”
Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge at the Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division, said: “This sentence sends a clear message that those who traffic fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other deadly drugs into our communities, and those who threaten violence against law enforcement, will be held accountable… Through DEA’s Fentanyl Free America we are working every day to disrupt the fentanyl supply chain…”
Records show that law enforcement identified leaders Amador-Garcia and Jose Alfredo Maldonado-Ramirez as early as February 2020 with indictments returned by fall 2021. The organization distributed drugs widely across Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Ohio, Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee and Virginia; attempted international shipments; laundered proceeds; possessed firearms; and sourced most drugs from Mexico through family connections.
During searches tied to Amador-Garcia’s residence with co-conspirators in California, agents seized significant quantities of fentanyl pills along with firearms; further weapons were recovered at other locations involved with the group.
The investigation formed part of Homeland Security Task Force efforts under Executive Order 14159 involving agencies such as Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; DEA; Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives; United States Marshals Service; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations among others—with prosecution led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington handles federal prosecutions including cases addressing gun violence across areas such as Seattle and Tacoma through its offices staffed by approximately 85 attorneys supported by about 70 staff members, according to the official website.