Two men from Texas were indicted by a federal grand jury this week on additional charges related to a November 2022 robbery and fatal shooting of a marijuana dealer in West Seattle, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd announced on Apr. 29. Carlton Pierre Mitchell, 30, and Aaron Thompson, 42, are scheduled for arraignment on the superseding indictment on May 7. The charges include conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and violent crime.
A third defendant in the case, Samuel Solomon, pleaded guilty on April 27 to conspiracy charges connected to the incident and faces at least five years in prison when sentenced.
According to court records cited by Floyd, Mitchell, Thompson, and Solomon traveled from Texas via Portland with plans to rob the victim who had previously sold drugs to them. After renting cars and securing an Airbnb rental in West Seattle where all three were armed with handguns—Thompson hid until the deal began—they confronted the victim during a drug transaction. Shots were fired after Thompson emerged with his weapon; the victim was fatally wounded while Solomon fled immediately after and flew home. Mitchell and Thompson took marijuana from the scene before leaving.
Seattle Police responded after receiving reports of gunfire at the Airbnb location but found only the deceased victim inside upon arrival. The three suspects were originally indicted in March of last year; arrests followed shortly after except for Mitchell who appeared months later.
If convicted as charged, both conspiracy counts carry up to five years imprisonment each; robbery could result in up to twenty years behind bars; use or discharge of a firearm during these crimes carries a mandatory minimum ten-year sentence up to life imprisonment.
Floyd said that "the charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law." The investigation involved collaboration between Seattle Police Department and FBI agents as well as assistance from Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Todd Greenberg and Jessica Manca.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington promotes community safety through programs addressing gun violence and online threats according to the official website. The office operates out of Seattle and Tacoma according to its official site as part of the U.S. Department of Justice according to its official website. It employs about eighty-five attorneys along with seventy support staff according to its official website, handling federal prosecutions as well as civil litigation according to its official website. Its jurisdiction covers areas including Seattle and Tacoma according to its official website. The office enforces federal criminal laws alongside law enforcement agencies while providing legal counsel for government operations—staffing more than one hundred fifty people—and leads federal drug court programs according to its official website.
