A Fife man who used to have a successful career as a contractor was sentenced to 17 years in prison Tuesday for his role in a major drug trafficking cartel, according to the U.S. Western District of Washington.
Court documents revealed how Luis Arturo Magana-Ramirez went from a quiet home life and successful career as an immigrant to being one of the top leaders in a giant drug trafficking organization.
Magana-Ramirez was one of the nearly 20 people indicted by a grand jury in 2020 in connection with a massive drug distribution network that pumped methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl to King, Pierce and Kitsap counties.
He pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
In the prosecutors' sentencing memo, they wrote the case was "one of the most violent transnational drug trafficking organizations this District has seen."
Magana-Ramirez directed violent debt collection for the organization, according to prosecutors. In one instance, according to the court documents, he told another drug trafficker he would kidnap someone indebted to the organization, kill him, and kill his entire family. Law enforcement took that man into custody. In several other intercepted conversations, he and other members of the organization plotted to kidnap and kill debtors.
"This defendant had a successful career as a contractor until he succumbed to the dark allure of drug money," said acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman in a news release. "He not only flooded our communities with dangerous drugs, he sought out firearms to impose his will on rivals and debtors and to keep the dollars flowing to him and to his bosses in the cartel. He has earned this lengthy prison term."
He had no criminal history, moved to the United States about seven years ago, and began working in construction making $45 an hour.
"Unlike so many others, he has no significant substance use disorder driving
him to feed his own addiction," prosecutors wrote. "Magana-Ramirez is an educated individual and the member of a labor union that afforded him the opportunity to earn $45 an hour in legitimate work. He instead rose through the ranks within this powerful drug organization, spreading poisons throughout our streets."
Magana-Ramirez's defense attorney asked for a sentencing between 120 and 130 months in custody, citing it was more in line with sentences imposed for his codefendants.
The defense's sentencing memo argued that Magana-Ramirez's adverse childhood experiences in Mexico under a drug cartel's rule. The defense argued that his conviction, deportation and sentence of a ten-year minimum would deter any future criminal activity.
"Mr. Magana has learned the hard way the effects of his actions — loss of freedom, loss of job, loss of family," the defense wrote.
The prosecutors' request for a 17-year sentence followed by 5 years of supervised release was granted by a judge on Tuesday.
