YAKIMA, Wash.–A 32-year-old Pasco man was sentenced to 125 months in prison for fentanyl trafficking, with five years of supervised release.
In 2022, Leonardo Martinez was involved in a domestic disturbance, and court documents say when officers asked him to leave, he refused and tried to assault one of the officers, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office news release.
When officers took him into custody and patted him down, they found a handgun in his possession, according to the release. Martinez had been prohibited from possessing firearms at the time because of his criminal history, including a domestic violence conviction.
The Richland Police Department found another handgun, over 10,000 fentanyl pills, some methamphetamine, over $72,000 in cash, a digital scale and three phones inside of Martinez’s vehicle as well, according to the release.
“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,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “This danger is further exasperated when offenders, like Mr. Martinez, possess large quantities of dangerous narcotics.”
