A Des Moines man is headed to federal prison after prosecutors say his infant daughter was exposed to fentanyl, stopped breathing and had to be revived with Narcan before tests showed the powerful drug in her system. The nine-month-old was rushed to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital for emergency treatment, and the case ultimately helped fuel a federal indictment that followed multiple arrests and a November search of the motel where he had been living.
Sentenced in federal court
On Monday, U.S. District Judge John C. Chun sentenced 37‑year‑old Dennis Aguilar Huisa to six years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after Huisa pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and money laundering, the DEA said in a press release.
At the hearing, Judge Chun underscored the stakes of dealing in fentanyl, telling the courtroom the drug “is so dangerous and has destroyed so many lives…. He must have known that he was putting himself and his family at risk.” Prosecutors had urged the court to go higher, asking for an eight‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence and arguing that Huisa kept trafficking even after his infant’s near‑fatal exposure.
How investigators say it unfolded
According to court filings summarized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, officers first encountered Huisa in August 2023, when they stopped him and found roughly 1,000 blue fentanyl pills in his vehicle.
The situation escalated in September 2024, when Puyallup police and medics were called to a report of a nine‑month‑old who had stopped breathing. Investigators say Huisa and a woman at the scene administered Narcan before first responders arrived. The child was taken to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, where blood tests later came back positive for fentanyl, amphetamine and oxycodone.
Searches turned up kilos and a 'ghost gun'
Authorities say the investigation culminated on Nov. 1, 2024, when Auburn police executed a search warrant at the Des Moines motel where Huisa had been staying. Inside, officers reported finding packaged fentanyl powder, methamphetamine and cocaine. According to court records and local reporting, they also discovered two kilograms of fentanyl in a box truck and a Polymer 80 “ghost gun,” a type of untraceable firearm.
Local coverage by KIRO 7 noted that when officers went into the motel room, they found Huisa trying to flush drugs down a toilet.
Legal context and next steps
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has pointed out that possession with intent to distribute fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum prison term, and that possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime can add a consecutive mandatory sentence on top of that. Prosecutors highlighted those factors as they pushed for a longer term in Huisa’s case.
Federal authorities also conducted a financial review that, according to the DEA, showed Huisa deposited roughly $370,000 in cash over a two‑year period, money prosecutors say was tied to drug trafficking. Officials say that after he serves his sentence, Huisa will likely be deported to Honduras.
