MOXEE, WA – Multiple federal search warrants were recently executed in the small Yakima County town of Moxee, resulting in one of the largest-ever drug seizures in the county’s history. This is the second excessively large drug busts in eastern Washington since mid-December (see link below).
According to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, Vanessa Waldref, the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force conducted the comprehensive federal drug trafficking investigation. Court documents say the FBI had received information that Eliseo Equihua-Zamora was a “high-level drug dealer.”
“During the course of the investigation, law enforcement utilized a confidential human source to purchase controlled substances from the Defendant and/or his associates. The controlled purchases were audio and video recorded,” an Affidavit says.
A search of a home in the 500 block of Stuart Road in Moxee on December 28th allegedly resulted in the seizure of more than 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills and more than 42 pounds of methamphetamine, among other items. Equihua-Zamora was indicted on Tuesday with Possession With Intent to Distribute Over 50 Grams of Actual (pure) Methamphetamine, Possession With Intent to Distribute over 400 grams of Fentanyl, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
“In a dresser in the master bedroom, law enforcement discovered approximately $20,000 in cash and a firearm with an attached loaded magazine. In the attic of the residence, law enforcement discovered two large bags which contained more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine. [The] Task Force Officer…inspected the approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine and determined that it was possessed for sale. Law enforcement also discovered two holes in the ground outside of the main residence. Law enforcement found large bags that contained no less than 50,000 suspected fentanyl pills. Law enforcement also discovered approximately $100,000.00 in U.S. Currency buried outside of the main residence,” according to the Criminal Complaint.
According to Court records, Equihua-Zamora’s bond was set at $200,000 and his wife reportedly paid the required $20,000 cash on December 30th.
The Court denied a federal Motion For Detention, which argued that “the extraordinary amount of controlled substances—30 pounds of methamphetamine
and 50,000 fentanyl pills—and currency seized—$120,000—indicate an organized crime operation of significant size and sophistication. Therefore, this factor
weighs in favor of detention.”
The Motion says that although born in Mexico, Equihua-Zamora is a legal permanent resident of the U.S. and has lived here for 17 years – 15 of those within the Eastern District of Washington.
“Defendant has been employed and resided in Yakima for the past ten years. He is married and has three children,” the Motion says.
The Court ordered Equihua-Zamora to participate in a program of GPS location monitoring upon his release.
“Defendant shall wear, at all times, an electronic device under the supervision of the United States Probation/Pretrial Services Office. Defendant shall be restricted to his residence at all times except for attorney visits; court appearances; case-related matters; court-ordered obligations; or other activities as pre-approved by the United States Probation/Pretrial Services Office or supervising officer, including but not limited to employment, religious services, medical necessities, substance abuse testing or treatment. Defendant shall surrender his Concealed Pistol License and/or any other concealed weapons permit in his possession,” the Order states.
“The FBI and its local partners also seized a loaded Beretta pistol and approximately $152,000 in U.S. Currency, including approximately $100,000 that was buried outside the residence,” a press release states.
U.S. Attorney Waldref commended the joint efforts of law enforcement for removing such a large quantity of illegal narcotics from the community.
“Illegal narcotics, and fentanyl in particular, have become a scourge across the United States. I’m grateful to the FBI and our critical task force partners for working together to combat this dangerous poison. Without their combined efforts, more than 100,000 deadly fentanyl-laced pills and more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine would not have been removed from the community. As a result, our neighborhoods and communities are safer and stronger,” Waldref says.
“Every time the FBI and our partners seize these dangerous and highly potent drugs, we are also removing from the community hundreds of thousands of opportunities for someone, perhaps even an unknowing young person, to make one bad choice and become addicted or overdose,” according to Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “As the drug landscape changes in our country, and fentanyl is hiding in unknown quantities amongst other drugs or being represented as another drug entirely, it is critical that law enforcement disrupt the flow of this poison into Washington state.”
“The recent successful results of an investigation by the FBI Task Force highlights the importance of federal and local agencies working together for public safety,” Yakima County Sheriff Robert Udell says. “The investigation seized a significant quantity of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Yakima area, and these possibly fatal illegal drugs were removed from our community. I am pleased with the results of the FBI Task Force, and our deputies look forward to working together with the Task Force to achieve further success in removing illegal drugs from our community.”
This ongoing case is being investigated by the FBI Task Force, which members include the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington State Department of Corrections, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Border Patrol. The FBI Task Force was assisted by the Moxee Police Department and the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tom Hanlon.
An indictment and a complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This is the second large drug bust in eastern Washington in the past month.
In mid-December, search warrants were served in the Tri-Cities and more than 100,000 fentanyl-laced pills, 50 pounds of methamphetamine, a kilogram of cocaine, $15,000 in cash, money counters, and more than 20 firearms and a significant amount of ammunition were seized during the operation.
Previous story: https://www.koze.com/2022/12/15/fbi-local-drug-task-forces-make-one-of-the-largest-ever-drug-seizures-in-e-washington-history/