5 days ago
Fugitive on the run, wanted in massive WA drug trafficking ring
The Brief
King County authorities are searching for Valentin Garcia Lazcano, a fugitive wanted for major drug trafficking.
Lazcano's co-defendant, Miguel Hernandez Domingo, received a 20-month sentence for distributing lethal amounts of fentanyl.
Prosecutors are pushing for tougher penalties, as current sentences are seen as insufficient given the scale of drug trafficking.
KING COUNTY, Wash. - King County authorities are searching for a major drug trafficking fugitive, wanted for running a crew that sold millions worth of fentanyl, heroin, meth and cocaine.
Valentin Garvia Lazcano has a felony arrest warrant for drug dealing, accused of selling narcotics across King and Pierce County and wiring the money back to Mexico.
Deputies caught Lazcano red-handed hauling bags of drugs out of a storage unit, but two months after being arrested, he bailed out and is now on the run.
Dig deeper
Two of his co-defendants have both been convicted, including Miguel Hernandez Domingo, the man Lazcano was arrested with.
Domingo has spent the last year in jail, and was recently sentenced after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute lethal amounts of fentanyl. However, the 20-month sentence that was handed down is seen by some as no more than a slap on the wrist, especially compared to the lives he put at risk.
"Mr. Hernandez Domingo had enough fentanyl powder to be potentially lethal to more than 13.5 million people," said Senior Deputy Prosecutor Alex Muir. "The combined population of the Pacific Northwest is 14.2 million people."
King County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Alex Muir described the amount of narcotics seized by detectives from the defendant's apartment, car and storage unit where he took selfies wearing a respirator.
"It was approximately 108,204 fentanyl pills by weight, 59.87 pounds of fentanyl powder, 2.47 pounds of meth, 3.16 pounds of heroin, 1.79 pounds of cocaine. The street value is approximately $2.75 million," Muir said.
Hernandez Domingo was tracked and observed selling the drugs in Des Moines, Seattle, Seatac, Federal Way, Fife and Tacoma. But because he had no criminal history and a zero offender score, Washington state law sets the standard sentencing to just 12 to 20 months.
King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion wants longer sentences imposed, with at least five years in this case.
"We are not talking about a kid who has a bag full of weed, what we are talking about is somebody who is moving enough fentanyl to at least theoretically kill all of King County. And for that, there should be an exceptional sentence because it's an exceptional amount of drugs," said Casey McNerthey with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
To support their request for a longer sentence, King County detective Matt Jeffery described the significance of the drug bust.
"To my knowledge, it is the largest seizure, the 60 pounds of fentanyl powder is the largest seizure of the King County Sheriff's Office," said Detective Matt Jeffery.
So far this year in King County alone, more than 360 people have already died from a fentanyl overdose.
"I would appreciate the consideration of the lives lost, families broken due to this fentanyl epidemic that currently we're experiencing," said Det. Jeffery.
Hernandez Domingo's attorney pushed back, claiming his client played a limited role in the organization, and had already spent 368 days in jail.
"He essentially had no gain in this operation other than $400 a week and he had to trade a year of his life for that," said Hernandez Domingo's attorney.
Hernandez Domingo claimed he didn't know the consequences of his actions.
"I want to apologize to the state of Washington, and I want to be given the opportunity for me to go on with my life to help my mother who is sick and my wife and my son," Domingo said.
After listening to the arguments, Judge Nikole Hecklinger sided with the defense, saying the court had no information that Hernandez Domingo was a major player in the enterprise.
"Having considered the purposes of the sentence format, the sentencing materials, the harm that this does to the community and Mr. Hernandez's role and the info that has been provided, the court will sentence Mr. Hernandez to 20 months, which is the high end of the presumptive standard range," said Judge Nikole Hecklinger.
What's next
Prosecutors say they are undeterred and will continue to ask for exceptional sentences, saying 12 to 20 months sends the wrong message and change is needed by the Washington state legislature to toughen penalties for fentanyl.
"What drug traffickers will do is put up somebody who has no history, who can get 12 to 20 months and not get an exceptional sentence and move enough fentanyl to at least theoretically kill all of King County. And we don't want that moving into our county," McNerthey said.
Additionally, Detective Jeffery has another case with a suspect caught with 63 pounds of fentanyl, described as a bulk supplier to drug couriers in Seattle.
The suspect, 35-year-old Jose Perez-Baldovino, is set to be arraigned next month.
Meanwhile, if you have information on the whereabouts of 38-year-old Valentin Garcia Lazcano, Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound will pay you a cash reward of up to $1,000. You can leave an anonymous tip through the P3Tips app, or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
The Source
Information in this story came from the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, the King County Sheriff's Office, King County Superior Court and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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