An Arizona man was sentenced in Tacoma to 12 years in prison Monday after attempting to broker large amounts of narcotics, including fentanyl, from Mexico to Western Washington.
According to a press release, 42-year-old Ryan Matthew Gennette was identified by a Homeland Security investigation when he attempted to coordinate the movement and sale of narcotics from Mexico to Washington.
According to the Department of Justice, Gennette was a long-time resident of Auburn, Washington, before relocating to Phoenix.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said that Gennette was “willing to engage in the large-scale distribution of dangerous substances for money.”
“Not only did Mr. Gennette traffic huge amounts of dangerous drugs by mail and by courier, but he was also involved in sending firearms to cartel-connected drug sources in Mexico,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd in the statement. “This sentence takes a repeat offender out of the drug business for a significant period.”
According to the department, Gennette had a record of participating in the drug trade. The department says in June 2024, he shipped two large boxes containing seven kilograms of fentanyl pills, almost two kilograms of fentanyl powder, and over ten kilograms of actual methamphetamine to an address on Whidbey Island.
Next, Gennette sent nine kilograms of methamphetamine via courier – it too was seized by law enforcement.
According to the department, Gennette was caught in his latest drug scheme when he reached out to a contact and his communications got back to the department through confidential sources.
Both men were arrested in November 2024 – Gennette in Phoenix and his contact in Tijuana, Mexico.