A Seattle resident, Leon Henderson, was sentenced on Mar. 19 in U.S. District Court to 20 years in prison for multiple drug and firearm offenses, according to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Henderson, age 34, was convicted of three counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal law enforcement to address crime hotspots in Seattle, particularly the North Aurora area. Authorities said that Henderson's repeated arrests throughout 2023 involved large quantities of fentanyl pills and loaded firearms. Each arrest yielded more than a thousand fentanyl pills; during two incidents he also had loaded guns.
At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead commented on the scale and impact of Henderson's crimes: “The numbers in this case speak volumes.” Judge Whitehead noted that Henderson possessed “over 18,000 fentanyl pills, 220 grams of fentanyl powder, and 700 grams of methamphetamine.” He added that selling the pills for “a dollar per pill,” could have resulted in “18,000 potential overdoses in our community.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said: “This case exemplifies the effort federal law enforcement is making around crime hotspots in our city, such as the North Aurora emphasis area... This case took significant deadly drugs, firearms, and a habitual criminal off the street.” W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office said: “Even though Mr. Henderson had multiple chances to change his destructive behavior, he persisted in selling fentanyl to homeless and vulnerable individuals while illegally in possession of stolen, loaded firearms... The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue dangerous drug traffickers to hold them accountable and keep our communities safe.”
Court records show that on January 25, May 5, and September 13 of 2023—each time at different locations—Henderson was found with thousands of fentanyl pills as well as cash or loaded firearms. His mandatory minimum sentence includes ten years for drug possession counts plus five years each for two drug-related firearm convictions.
Henderson’s prior felony convictions included promoting prostitution and felony harassment. Prosecutors raised concerns about his criminal history involving violence against women and possible continued involvement with prostitution alongside his drug activities.
Following his prison term, Henderson will be subject to five years supervised release.
