A U.S. citizen involved in an international drug smuggling operation has been sentenced to five years in prison, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Curtis McDaniel, 56, was arrested at a Tukwila motel over a year ago and has remained in custody since then. His arrest was part of a larger law enforcement operation that included the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Seattle Police Department, and IRS Criminal Investigation, which executed 24 search or arrest warrants linked to the drug trafficking conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge Tana Lin imposed the sentence on McDaniel, citing the significant impact of his distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine on the community. These substances were noted as the second and third most common causes of overdose deaths in King County in 2024.
Ramon Duarte Garcia, 37, identified as a major drug supplier and citizen of Mexico residing in Kent, Washington, was previously sentenced to ten years in prison after being caught with 12 pounds of methamphetamine, a stolen firearm, and $10,000 from drug trafficking. Another defendant, Humberto Lopez Rodriguez, 30, also a Mexican citizen formerly living in Renton, Washington, is scheduled for sentencing on July 30, 2025.
The investigation led to the seizure of significant quantities of drugs including fentanyl pills and powder, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, along with $71,000 in drug proceeds and nine firearms.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations. The DEA and Seattle Police Department are leading the investigation with support from various federal and local agencies.
The Colombian National Police (CNP) and Colombian Prosecutor’s Office collaborated with U.S. law enforcement during this investigation. The Justice Department’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá also provided essential assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joe Silvio and C. Andrew Colasurdo are prosecuting these cases in the Western District of Washington.
