A key figure in a drug distribution network linked to Aryan prison gangs has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. Michael Slocumb, aged 46, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Tacoma for his involvement in the conspiracy and possession of firearms related to drug trafficking. Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller announced the sentence.
Slocumb attempted to evade law enforcement by relocating the drug ring's activities to Arizona after their stash house in Shelton, Washington, was raided in December 2022. He was arrested at his new residence in Arizona when authorities moved against the drug operation in March 2023.
Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo addressed the dangers of fentanyl during sentencing, stating, “People become addicted to these drugs . . . they end up taking a bad dose and that ends their time on this Earth.” He also commented on the seriousness of the firearms involved, saying, “The firearms involved here are extremely serious and the types of firearms make me wonder what they may have been used for.”
Court records indicate that Slocumb made several trips to Arizona in late 2022 to transport narcotics back to the Shelton stash house, where he manufactured fentanyl pills using two pill presses. The December raid resulted in the seizure of over 640,000 fentanyl pills, a kilogram of fentanyl powder, 12 kilograms of methamphetamine, and more than $81,000 from drug trafficking.
Authorities also found 23 firearms at the stash house and additional weapons in Slocumb’s car. In his vehicle were a loaded .40 caliber pistol and other firearms including a high-capacity magazine-equipped handgun and an AR-15 type rifle with a drum magazine.
During the investigation, law enforcement intercepted conversations between Slocumb and ringleader Bryson Gill discussing plans to kidnap a rival dealer. Authorities intervened before any violence occurred.
After the raid on their stash house, Slocumb discussed moving operations to Arizona with Gill over wiretaps. They continued trafficking until their arrest in March 2023 when police seized approximately 70 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition from an Arizona property.
Slocumb pleaded guilty in November 2024 to charges including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm related to drug trafficking crimes.
Prosecutors sought a longer sentence due to Slocumb’s significant role alongside Gill as both distributor and enforcer within the operation. "Slocumb’s conduct...involved massive numbers of firearms," prosecutors wrote.
Bryson Gill pleaded guilty on February 7, 2025, with sentencing set for May 9, while Jesse Bailey and Candace Bailey await sentencing later this year.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by multiple federal agencies including FBI and DEA with local support from various law enforcement departments across Washington state.
Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Max Shiner, and Jehiel Baer are prosecuting this case.