Ex-Kent resident at center of drug ring spanning Colombia to Seattle gets 10 years

A former Kent resident and Mexican national was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in federal prison for his central role in a sprawling drug trafficking conspiracy stretching from Colombia to Mexico and into Washington State, U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller announced.

Ramon Duarte Garcia, 38, was arrested in June 2024 after a nearly four-year federal investigation.

Authorities say he was identified through wiretaps as a key distributor operating in Washington, helping move large quantities of narcotics through the region despite multiple law enforcement stops.

“This cooperative effort is a win for the good guys and a tremendous example of the truly international cooperation needed to tackle this immense threat,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Seattle Field Division.

Duarte Garcia’s arrest and sentencing come after investigators seized more than 32 kilograms of cocaine, 14 kilograms of methamphetamine, 83,000 fentanyl-laced pills, 3 kilograms of heroin, and 1 kilogram of powdered fentanyl over the course of the investigation.

At Tuesday’s sentencing, U.S. District Judge Tana Lin emphasized Duarte Garcia’s disregard for the law. “You showed no respect for the law. Getting involved in drug dealing when you entered the country,” she said.

Federal records show Duarte Garcia continued distributing drugs after being stopped twice in 2023. During a December 4 stop, officers seized 13 kilograms of cocaine, a loaded Sig Sauer pistol, ammunition, $1,716 in suspected drug proceeds, and a drug ledger. In a previous stop that July, he was caught in California with 12 pounds of methamphetamine, a Glock handgun, and $10,000 in cash.

“Repeat stops by law enforcement did not stop this defendant as he brought large loads of narcotics to our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “Significant prison time is needed to stop his trafficking.”

Duarte Garcia, who had overstayed his visa, is expected to be deported following his sentence. If he remains in the United States, he will face three years of supervised release.

This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation involving multiple U.S. agencies and international partners, including the DEA, Seattle Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, Colombian National Police, and the Colombian Prosecutor’s Office.