Detectives and SWAT members arrested a “prolific” drug trafficking suspect in West Seattle while he was out shopping with his family last week.
The Seattle Police Department says the arrest is the culmination of a months-long narcotics investigation, which began after an arrest back in July.
Officers made an arrest near White Center on July 16, taking a suspect into custody for reportedly selling fentanyl and methamphetamine from his RV, which was parked near 26th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Cambridge Street.
Detectives pressed the man to identify his dealer, and he said he got his narcotics from a 51-year-old man living in SeaTac.
Police investigated the man and learned he was a convicted felon with an “extensive criminal history,” including many drug trafficking crimes.
Detectives surveilled the man for several months. During that time, they found he “frequently” traveled between SeaTac, South Park, White Center and Westwood Village to sell drugs, authorities said. They believe his activities are correlated with a string of drug overdoses, retail theft, car prowls and thefts in the area.
Investigators prepared to arrest the dealer, and trailed him as he drove his family to the shopping center in Westwood Village around 10:30 p.m. on October 15.
Authorities say while the family shopped inside, the man went across the street to Roxhill Park to sell drugs. Detectives saw suspected narcotics users approach him once he got there.
A SWAT team went to the park and arrested the man for controlled substance violation and possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver. They searched him and recovered fentanyl, methamphetamine, a white powder, $291 in cash, and various drug paraphernalia.
The man was booked into King County Jail for multiple drug crimes. His bail is currently set at $250,000.
The months-long surveillance operation demonstrates the resource-intensive nature of building cases against mid-level drug dealers, with detectives tracking movements across South King County to establish patterns proving intent to distribute rather than personal possession.
The RV dealer’s cooperation in identifying his supplier reflects standard law enforcement strategy of flipping lower-level dealers to reach higher-tier traffickers, though the 51-year-old suspect’s operations suggest he likely obtained drugs from even larger suppliers.
The suspect’s geographic range spanning SeaTac, South Park, White Center, and Westwood Village illustrates how drug dealers exploit jurisdictional boundaries, moving between Seattle city limits and unincorporated King County areas to complicate law enforcement coordination.
The correlation police cite between the dealer’s activities and overdoses, retail theft, car prowls, and thefts reflects the criminal ecosystem surrounding drug distribution, where users commit property crimes to fund purchases and dealers’ presence attracts crime to specific locations.
The 10:30 p.m. family shopping trip to Westwood Village provided cover for the drug transaction, with the dealer apparently calculating that bringing his family would make surveillance and arrest less likely while he conducted business across the street.
The decision to deploy SWAT rather than plainclothes detectives for the arrest indicates concerns about the suspect’s potential for violence given his extensive criminal history and the presence of other drug users at Roxhill Park who might interfere.
The $291 cash recovered represents relatively modest proceeds from an evening of dealing, suggesting either the arrest occurred early in his sales activities or that he had already stashed larger amounts elsewhere before police intervened.
The $250,000 bail amount reflects the suspect’s flight risk given his criminal history and the serious charges, though bail amounts often get reduced at arraignment hearings when defense attorneys argue for lower amounts.
The “white powder” mentioned alongside fentanyl and methamphetamine could indicate cutting agents used to dilute drugs for increased profit or additional substances like cocaine or heroin that diversify the dealer’s product offerings.
Roxhill Park’s location across from Westwood Village shopping center creates opportunities for quick transactions in a public space where foot traffic provides cover, though the park’s visibility also makes it easier for surveillance teams to observe deals.
