WA drug dealer sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl after attempting to assault officer

Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker announced that Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced 32-year-old Leonardo Daniel Martinez of Pasco, Washington, to 125 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl and 5 years of supervised release.

According to court documents, on May 20, 2022, Richland Police Department (RPD) officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a house involving Martinez. Officers told Martinez to leave, but he refused and attempted to assault an officer. Officers took Martinez into custody and, during the arrest pat down, found a 9mm handgun. At the time he possessed the handgun, Martinez was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his criminal history, which included a domestic violence conviction.

Inside Martinez’s dark blue BMW, RPD found another handgun, 10,179 fentanyl pills, $72,354 in cash, methamphetamine, a digital scale, and three cell phones.

Acting US Attorney Barker said, “Domestic violence is a significant source of firearm-related crime in Eastern Washington and in the Tri-Cities area. Domestic violence offenders are far more likely to engage in intimate partner violence as well as violence directed at law enforcement officers responding to emergency calls. This danger is further exasperated when offenders like Mr. Martinez possess large quantities of dangerous narcotics. I am grateful for the dedication of the DEA and Richland Police Department for their diligent work in removing large volumes of dangerous fentanyl from our communities.”

David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division, said, “Mr. Martinez disregarded the safety of those around him by engaging in domestic violence, attempting to assault a police officer, carrying a handgun, and possessing enough fentanyl to potentially kill almost 6,000 people. Our community is safer with Mr. Martinez behind bars, and I am gratified that the Drug Enforcement Administration could help the Richland Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office make that happen.”