A man from Grays Harbor County, Washington, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to two counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Gabriel Armas faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and could receive up to life in prison due to the quantity of narcotics involved and a prior 2015 conviction for trafficking heroin and methamphetamine. Sentencing is set for December 16, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle.
According to court documents, on November 14, 2023, law enforcement found Armas slumped over the wheel of a car in a parking lot in Ocean Shores, Washington. When approached by an officer, Armas sped away recklessly, prompting officers to end their pursuit for safety reasons.
Armas’s vehicle later became stuck on a bridge not intended for cars; the bridge subsequently collapsed. He fled the scene but left behind items that included baggies containing fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, crystal methamphetamine, as well as identity and bank cards bearing his name.
Authorities located Armas several days later near where the car had been abandoned and detained him at the Federal Detention Center for alleged violations of federal supervision conditions. He was placed in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) on November 19, 2023. The next morning his cellmate was found unresponsive and died despite lifesaving attempts. An autopsy determined the cause of death was acute intoxication from heroin combined with olanzapine and mirtazapine.
On November 23, 2023, authorities discovered heroin hidden in Armas’ cell wrapped with a note offering it for sale to other inmates. Additional heroin was found weeks later concealed inside a pill bottle in his cell. On January 25, 2024, Armas admitted to another inmate that he profited from selling heroin within the facility and acknowledged that his cellmate had overdosed on it; he also stated he swallowed some heroin to hide it after his cellmate’s overdose.
Both defense and prosecution have agreed to recommend a ten-year prison sentence under the plea agreement terms; however, Judge Settle is not required to follow this recommendation and may impose any sentence permitted by law.
The FBI led the investigation with support from the Ocean Shores Police Department and Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Max Shiner is prosecuting the case.
