A Kent man is among a dozen individuals indicted in connection with a violent fentanyl trafficking ring that allegedly operated across Seattle and Everett, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington announced on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024.
The indictments follow a coordinated law enforcement sweep involving 600 officers from multiple agencies, resulting in the arrest of eleven of the twelve defendants.
The Kent resident, 26-year-old Khaliil Ahmed – also known as “Bossup” – is accused of illegally supplying firearms to the trafficking organization. Ahmed faces three counts of illegal firearm possession and one count of possessing illegal ammunition. Two of the charges relate to firearms he allegedly possessed at a fatal shooting at a South Seattle hookah bar on August 20, 2023, where Ahmed sustained injuries, and three others were killed. Ahmed, prohibited from firearm possession due to a 2022 weapons conviction, was also found with additional firearms and ammunition in May 2024, officials say.
In Thursday’s sweep, officers seized over 50 firearms, including fully automatic weapons and firearms modified with Glock switches, as well as more than 19 kilograms of fentanyl, 4 kilograms of cocaine, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and over $130,000 in cash. According to officials, the firearms seized included high-capacity drum magazines and armor-piercing rounds.
“These defendants were prolific fentanyl dealers who were frequently armed when guarding their stash or distributing their drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “The danger to the community cannot be overstated in this case. The leader of the drug crew was gunned down last summer – right in front of one of the U District locations where members of the crew distributed their poison, and continued do so, following the deadly shooting.”
The investigation into the trafficking network spanned over a year and involved wiretaps and surveillance, ultimately leading to charges against eleven other suspects, including drug distribution, conspiracy, and weapons violations. The group allegedly operated distribution points in Seattle’s University District, referring to their locations as “the House” and “the Office,” where significant quantities of fentanyl were sold. The group’s leader was fatally shot earlier this year outside one of these sites.
The Kent resident’s alleged involvement in the ring, particularly through firearm supply, points to what investigators describe as a “prolific and violent” organization that has exacerbated the fentanyl crisis in the Pacific Northwest. Ahmed and the other suspects are expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Seattle in the coming days.
In addition to Ahmed, eight other defendants were also charged in the indictment for the drug conspiracy and various drug distribution crimes:
- Ali Kuyateh, aka “Pops,” 49, of Seattle
- Lamin Saho aka “Buck,” 38, of Everett, Washington
- Oche Poston, 31, of Everett, Washington
- Jaquan Means, 45, of Bellevue, Washington
- Dominque Sanders, 34, of Everett, Washington – remains a fugitive.
- Patrick Smith, 27 of Edmonds, Washington – remains a fugitive.
- Matthew Robinson, 37, of Everett, Washington
- Yohannes Wondimagegnehu, aka “Jon,” 35, of Seattle
Two defendants – Anteneh Tesfaye, 39, of Edmonds, Washington, and Michael Janisch, 25, of Mercer Island, Washington, were arrested on criminal complaints.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with significant participation by Seattle Police Department (SPD), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington State Patrol (WSP), FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Border Patrol, the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Bellevue Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Everett Police Department, Renton Police Department, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Washington State National Guard, Washington State Gambling Commission, Yakima County Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D) Narcotics and Gang Task Force, and Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Jensen and Joseph Silvio.
The charges in the indictment remain allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
