A Tacoma man who was caught with over 90 pounds of drugs in February was indicted for three federal felonies in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Wednesday, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.
Cesar Leonel Contreras-Arias, 43, who was arrested in Tacoma on Feb. 2, now has been indicted by a grand jury, which alleges he illegally possessed guns, had 90 pounds of methamphetamine, five pounds of fentanyl and carried guns in relation to selling drugs.
Contreras-Arias will be arraigned next week, the news release said.
"Prosecuting armed drug traffickers remains a top priority for federal law enforcement." said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.
Contreras-Arias was arrested outside Tacoma's Clarion Inn on Tacoma Mall Boulevard. He had lived at the hotel for the last year, the press release said. Police were told he dealt drugs from the Inn. The South Sound Gang Task Force led the investigation.
When police approached Contreras-Arias, he ran, reversing his truck into a police car parked behind him, according to the news release. When searching his truck, police found a reportedly stolen .22-caliber Ruger pistol, $7,000 in cash, two phones and keys to three Clarion Inn rooms.
Police searched the three rooms and found 90 pounds of methamphetamine and five pounds of fentanyl. They also seized 11 passports, a tactical shotgun a multiple ammunition magazines, according to records filed in the case.
Contreras-Arias is prohibited from having guns after a 2016 conviction in Benton County for violating a protection order, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release.
A conviction for illegal possession of guns is punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison. Contreras-Arias also could face a minimum of 10 years in prison or up to life for the amount of drugs he allegedly possessed with intent to sell, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. He also faces a mandatory five years for allegedly possessing guns in relation to drug selling.
