Federal prosecutors have brought new charges against two men they say helped set up a November 2022 marijuana robbery in West Seattle that ended in a fatal shooting. Carlton Pierre Mitchell, 30, and Aaron Thompson, 42, have been added to a federal indictment that prosecutors say ties them to a planned rip-off of a marijuana seller. A third co-defendant, Samuel Solomon, has already pleaded guilty. The new federal counts follow a multiyear investigation involving both local and federal partners, according to prosecutors.
What prosecutors say
In a press release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington said Mitchell and Thompson were indicted on conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence. Prosecutors say the firearm count carries a mandatory minimum sentence because the weapon was discharged, and that the robbery and conspiracy counts carry substantial potential prison terms.
How the shooting unfolded
The shooting happened on the morning of Nov. 2, 2022, at an Airbnb in the 5200 block of 17th Avenue SW, according to KOMO News. Prosecutors allege the three men flew into Portland that day, drove to West Seattle, and that Mitchell rented the short-term rental where the group planned to rob a person who had previously sold marijuana to them.
Arrests, pleas and case timeline
Federal filings show the trio were initially indicted in March 2025. Authorities arrested Solomon and Thompson that month, while Mitchell made his first federal court appearance in September 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Solomon pleaded guilty on April 27 and faces a mandatory minimum five-year sentence. Mitchell and Thompson are scheduled to be arraigned on May 7.
Legal implications
If convicted, robbery can carry up to 20 years in prison, and the firearm enhancement can add a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life because prosecutors say the weapon was discharged, according to KOMO News. Each conspiracy count carries up to five years. Federal officials say the case was investigated with assistance from the Seattle Police Department, the FBI, and the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory.
A pattern of violent cannabis robberies
The Seattle region has seen other violent incidents tied to cannabis robberies in recent years, including a deadly 2022 dispensary shooting in Tacoma that prosecutors connected to an organized robbery conspiracy, as detailed by The News Tribune. Federal prosecutors say they have increased focus on armed robberies targeting marijuana sellers as the offenses have crossed jurisdictions and, in some cases, turned deadly.
What happens next
The case remains active, and prosecutors say they will continue working with local partners as the investigation and prosecutions move forward. Mitchell and Thompson’s federal arraignment is set for early May. If they are convicted on the added federal counts, the defendants face significant prison time and lengthy supervised release terms.
