A 37-year-old man from Des Moines, Washington, has been charged with multiple federal offenses after being caught three times with large quantities of drugs and a firearm. Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller announced that Dennis Aguilar Huisa faces charges for four counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in relation to drug trafficking, and money laundering.
Huisa was first approached by the Puyallup Police on August 15, 2023, when he was found on the side of the road in an apparently overheated car. Officers discovered about 1,000 fentanyl pills and suspected fentanyl powder inside his vehicle. Another encounter on September 7, 2024, involved police responding to a report of an unresponsive infant. The child had allegedly been exposed to drugs, and officers found approximately 115 blue fentanyl pills on Huisa and $16,000 in cash.
On November 1, 2024, Auburn Police searched Huisa's motel room, discovering packages of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and a "ghost gun" lacking a serial number. This led to further charges against Huisa, who was brought into federal custody on March 12, 2025, and indicted by a grand jury on March 26, 2025.
“Possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute is punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison," the statement reads. Additional consequences include "a mandatory minimum five years in prison" for the firearm charge and up to "twenty years in prison" for money laundering.
Authorities emphasize that the charges are allegations and that Huisa is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The investigation involves the Puyallup Police Department, Auburn Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Conzatti. Huisa is scheduled for his initial court appearance today.
