SEATTLE — The U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of Washington says that one of nearly 20 defendants was charged in a drug trafficking scheme that honed in on homeless encampments and the Chinatown International District.
Theodore Nation was sentenced for his involvement in the drug trafficking scheme.
“This defendant made his living feeding the addiction of others making it ever more difficult for them to get out of the danger of homeless encampments,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd.
The Seattle Police Department (SPD), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began looking into the operation in November 2023.
The group was notably selling fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in areas of the International District.
A street corner they were know to sell drugs was on 12thA street corner where they were known to sell drugs was on 12th Ave. S. and Jackson St.
They also targeted homeless encampments, including one under I-5 in Beacon Hill, nicknamed ”The Jungle".
W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “This organization and others like it fuel the fentanyl crisis in the United States with drugs that all too often prove fatal.”
Police used wiretaps and gathered evidence leading to the first arrest in January 2025.
During these arrests, they found 17 guns and over 50 pounds of fentanyl powder.
The second round of arrests happened in May 2025.
During those arrests, police found 100 pounds of meth, over 240 pounds of cocaine, over 40 pounds of fentanyl powder, 250,000 fentanyl pills, and over 8 pounds.
Nation was sentenced to nearly 3 years in prison for his role in the operation.