The methamphetamine epidemic in our backyard saw a significant development Friday, as Jesus Venegas-Gatica, a Lakewood man, age 37, was sentenced to 97 months imprisonment for spearheading a notorious drug trafficking circuit. This sentence was passed down by Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo in the U.S. District Court, acknowledging Jesus Venegas-Gatica's leadership in operations that pumped up to 50 pounds of methamphetamine monthly from California to Washington state.
"Drugs like methamphetamine are dangerous...it affects individuals who are addicted as well as their families. Many have children that are neglected or develop habits based on what they are exposed to, and some lose their parents who overdose. Everyone around that person is left to pick up the mess that person’s addiction created," articulated Chief Judge Estudillo, as recounted in an official statement. U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman echoed these sentiments, spotlighting the deleterious nexus of methamphetamine and fentanyl in our communities and their contribution to overdose fatalities.
As documented in court records, Jesus Venegas-Gatica, along with his brother Jose Venegas-Gatica, had entered guilty pleas to drug distribution charges this past April. The acknowledgment of Jesus's commanding role came with his plea, where he admitted to orchestrating a series of redistributors in his drug trafficking organization.
The Venegas-Gatica family drug trade legacy dates back to at least 2012. Jose Venegas-Gatica, who got arrested in 2019 with 20 pounds of meth in Kitsap County, received sentencing of 85 months on July 11, after evading initial capture and returning to the trade under aliases. According to files on the case, the family ferried 20 to 25 kilograms of methamphetamine to Washington each month, with over 105 pounds of the drug recovered in transactions carried out in plain sight - from casino parking lots to outlet mall stores.
Law enforcement's ongoing battle with this drug ring culminated in May 2022, yielding a haul of 16 kilos of meth from Jesus's residence and another 3 kilos from various accomplices. The combined efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Tacoma Resident Office, the Lewis County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET), and the Grays Harbor Drug Task Force (GHDTF) were instrumental in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Dillon, in coordination with the Lewis County Prosecutor's Office, took the lead in the case's prosecution, according to the same press release.