Two drug traffickers sentenced to lengthy prison terms in case arising from investigation of Aryan Family prison gang

Press Release

One established distribution network in Alaska; Younger conspirator transported drugs from Arizona to Washington stash house where fentanyl pills were pressed

Tacoma - Two men indicted in March 2023 as part of a drug distribution organization associated with an Aryan prison gang were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma for drug and gun crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ronaldo McComb, 59, of Ridgefield, Washington, was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Isaac Cervantes, 32 of Phoenix was sentenced to 9 years in prison. At the sentencing hearing for Cervantes, Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, "We are talking about massive quantities of controlled substances. This is not some street-level dealer…. The amount of societal harm from these substances is almost immeasurable." Discussing the firearms involved in the offense, Judge Estudillo said, "these are not small-time firearms, and obviously they're there to protect the drug trade, and people suffer from the violence involved in this."

McComb pleaded guilty in June 2024 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and felon in possession of a firearm. McComb acknowledged multiple recorded phone calls with coconspirators in which he discussed his drug trafficking activities involving distributing multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills and creating a distribution network of fentanyl pills up to Alaska. He further admitted to possessing large quantities of heroin and a 9mm handgun that law enforcement seized from the trunk of his vehicle following a traffic stop in February 2022. Law enforcement eventually arrested him on March 22, 2023. On that date, authorities found methamphetamine, heroin, three firearms, and large quantities of cash and gold bars in McComb's Kalama residence. As part of the plea, McComb stipulated to the forfeiture of that cash and gold as proceeds of his drug trafficking. McComb was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his felony convictions for assault and robbery in Clark County and another assault conviction in Cowlitz County.

Cervantes was arrested in Phoenix at the time of the drug takedown. Cervantes assisted the drug traffickers by transporting fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs to Washington from Arizona. He also worked at the stash house where the crew pressed powdered fentanyl into pills.

On July 1, 2021, Cervantes was stopped in Oregon with 50,000 counterfeit M30 Oxycodone pills in a vehicle belonging to one of the leaders of the drug distribution cell. In November and December 2022, Cervantes was associated with the "stash house" in Shelton, Washington, where law enforcement later seized 64 kilograms of fentanyl pills-some 640,000 pills. Also at the stash house they found more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine and a kilogram of fentanyl powder. In addition to the drugs, law enforcement seized two pill presses, 23 firearms, a silencer and more than $81,000 in cash.

Cervantes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in February 2024.

In making their sentencing recommendations, prosecutors pointed out that fentanyl laced pills can be deadly, writing to the court "…first-time users of fentanyl, are sometimes unaware that the counterfeit oxycodone pills they are taking contain fentanyl, their lives are put at risk with every use of these dangerous substances. This has resulted in an unprecedented epidemic of overdose deaths in the United States, and an unrelenting increase in overdose deaths in Washington state…. the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control, estimates that, despite a small decrease in overdose deaths nationwide, Washington had an increase in overdose deaths of over 27% in the year ending December 2023."

The investigation of the drug trafficking ring resulted in the seizure of 245 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 830,000 fentanyl pills and an additional 26 pounds of fentanyl pills and powder, more than six pounds of heroin, 225 firearms and more than $668,000 in cash.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff's Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff's Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff's Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon and Max Shiner.

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Updated September 13, 2024