What federal agents describe as a de facto open-air drug market in downtown Spokane just lost one of its regulars. Timothy Michael Hanahan, 38, who went by the nickname “Big Mike,” has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison after investigators say he repeatedly sold methamphetamine and fentanyl in the city’s core.
Hanahan was ordered on January 14 to serve seven years behind bars, followed by four years of supervised release. Authorities say many of the deals went down near the House of Charity, and that during the investigation he repeatedly bragged to undercover buyers about suppliers in Idaho and Montana. Federal prosecutors tie the case to an ongoing ATF crime‑reduction emphasis in the greater Spokane area.
Over the course of numerous interactions, Hanahan bragged to undercover law enforcement agents posing as drug customers that he had connections in Idaho and Montana, and that his “connections” were moving large volumes of drugs. https://x.com/i/status/2020954660803313982
— ATF Seattle Field Division (@ATFSeattle) February 9, 2026
How Investigators Built The Case
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Washington, the case grew out of an ATF crime‑reduction push targeting what agents called a de facto open‑air drug market downtown.
Undercover ATF agents made multiple drug buys from Hanahan during the operation, prosecutors say, and he also introduced those agents to other alleged sources during the same meetings. His own remarks about out‑of‑state connections, including claimed suppliers in Idaho and Montana, were later cited as key evidence at sentencing alongside the undercover purchases.
Sentence And Criminal History
U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed the 84‑month prison term on January 14, along with four years of supervised release to follow, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
In the federal release, Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais of the ATF Seattle Field Division said, “This case shows the impact of focused, intelligence‑driven enforcement.” Prosecutors also noted that Hanahan has a lengthy criminal history. The case, docketed as 2:25‑CR‑0079‑TOR, was handled by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Tangvald.
Local Reaction And Regional Context
Local media quickly picked up the federal announcement. FOX 28 Spokane recapped the U.S. Attorney's account of the investigation and the seven‑year sentence.
The ATF Seattle Field Division press page highlights several recent regional prosecutions that are part of broader coordinated enforcement efforts. Community leaders and prosecutors say the goal of those initiatives is to disrupt the supply chains that move fentanyl and meth into Spokane’s downtown neighborhoods, where the impact of street‑level dealing is hardest to ignore.
