Major fentanyl operation failed in Renton, over 800,000 pills seized

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the dissolution of a large family-run fentanyl distribution company based in Renton.

The Jackson family drug trafficking organization was led by brothers Marquis and Markel Jackson. The brothers, four family members and 11 other people were charged in the Western District of Washington. They are accused of distributing fentanyl pills in Western Washington and across the country.

“This group distributed more than 800,000 fentanyl pills throughout the United States, including the states of Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Montana and Georgia,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Rick Collodi.

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The family targeted Native Americans.

“Members of the Jackson Organization clearly targeted Native communities in the Western District of Washington, both the Lummi Nation here in Washington and Native communities in Montana,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Tessa Gorman.

The two-year sting operation involved the DOJ, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the Seattle Police Department (SPD), as well as the Lummi Nation Police Department in Whatcom County.

“Fentanyl poisoning has devastated the Lummi Nation,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge David Reames. “Today, this team is able to hold accountable some of those responsible, people who profited from the Lummi Nation’s desperation.”

Collodi said law enforcement seized more than 846,000 fentanyl pills, six kilograms of fentanyl powder, seven kilograms of cocaine and 29 firearms as part of the investigation. Federal prosecutors said the pills were made in Mexico with precursors from China.

“There is not a community that I visit that doesn’t talk about the devastation that fentanyl has caused to their community,” Gorman said. “This poison has harmed their children, their families, their communities, and nowhere is that felt more acutely than in our First Nations communities.”

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SPD also pointed out that fentanyl caused more than 1,000 overdose deaths in King County alone last year.

“Drug organizations prey on the most vulnerable in our society in a devastating cycle of violent crime and addiction that destroys families, communities and the quality of life of individuals,” Collodi said.

James Lynch is a reporter at KIRO Newsradio. You can read more stories from James here. Keep following James Xor send him an email here.

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