4 times deported Honduran national arrested in Seattle with enough fentanyl to kill nearly 500,000

According to court documents obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, 31-year-old Orbin Dane Hernandez-Velazquez has an extensive criminal history spanning three states—Washington, California, and Utah—and a history of repeatedly returning to the US illegally after being removed. Federal records confirm that Hernandez-Velazquez served a 15-month prison sentence for illegal entry and has been deported at least four times.

Seattle police launched a months-long narcotics investigation into Hernandez-Velazquez earlier this year. Detectives say they observed him conducting “dead drop” fentanyl transactions, including one behind the Crest Cinema in Ridgecrest, where he stashed drugs in a building downspout for pickup.

On August 26, 2025, police arrested Hernandez-Velazquez outside his White Center apartment, located directly across the street from Mount View Elementary School, and seized staggering amounts of narcotics, including 868.5 grams of fentanyl, 1,990.5 grams of methamphetamine, and 20.8 grams of cocaine. Officers also recovered more than $32,000 in cash, a handgun, and a disassembled rifle.

Prosecutors noted that a single kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill as many as 500,000 people, making the amount in Hernandez-Velazquez’s possession a catastrophic public safety risk.

Hernandez-Velazquez’s record is lengthy and violent. In Utah from 2015 to 2017, he had multiple convictions for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. In California from 2016 to 2023, Hernandez-Velazquez had convictions for narcotics trafficking, manufacturing controlled substances, and obstruction of a peace officer. He also faced DUI charges. In 2024, in Washington, he was convicted of three felony counts under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act.

Despite these convictions, Hernandez-Velazquez continued trafficking narcotics. Prosecutors warned the court that he has “shown the Court that as long as he is outside of custody, he will continue to make substantial profits off the addictions of our community members”.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion praised the work of law enforcement and her office in stopping Hernandez-Velazquez in a statement to the media: “I appreciate the good work of Seattle Police Department investigators and the hard work of my team in this case, which has removed over 860 grams of fentanyl, 1900 grams of methamphetamine, and 20 grams of cocaine from King County’s streets.”

Manion added, “This is one of more than 200 drug dealing cases the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed this year, and the majority involve fentanyl and meth. We will continue to work hand in hand with our law enforcement partners to hold drug dealers accountable for distributing drugs like fentanyl in our communities.”

Washington’s sanctuary laws, championed by Democrat leaders, including most recently Governor Bob Ferguson, ensure that local law enforcement does not cooperate with federal immigration authorities. That means even a repeat felon and drug trafficker like Hernandez-Velazquez was allowed to roam free in Seattle until detectives launched a major investigation.

While ICE has repeatedly warned about the dangers of releasing violent criminal aliens back into communities, Washington lawmakers have doubled down on policies that tie the hands of law enforcement, and as a result, drug cartels and repeat offenders like Hernandez-Velazquez continue to thrive in the Pacific Northwest.

The King County Prosecutor’s Office is seeking to maintain bail at $350,000, citing Hernandez-Velazquez’s lack of community ties, repeated deportations, and his track record of fleeing justice. Officials argue he poses a significant flight risk and a continuing danger to the community.