Criminal Alien of the Week Report September, 13 2024
Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report
September 12, 2024
The “Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report” in second week of September 2024 has for your radio listeners and webpage followers a report on two federal law enforcement identified foreign nationals who have been convicted and sentenced for drug trafficking crimes in a U.S. District Court in the state of Washington.
Some background information, on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington (USAOWDW), issued a news release titled “Brothers who led a massive methamphetamine distribution ring sentenced to significant prison time” who the subjects of interest were identified as Jesus Venegas-Gatica (U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington Case Number: 3:22-cr-05142-DGE) and Jose Venegas-Gatica (U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington Case Number: 3:22-cr-05142-DGE):
Here are extended excerpts from USAOWDW’s September 4, 2024 news release on Jesus Venegas-Gatica and Jose Venegas-Gatica:
“In one instance conspired to ship 55 pounds of meth to Kelso, Washington via Amtrak
Tacoma – The leader of a methamphetamine trafficking ring was sentenced Friday August 30, 2024, in U.S. District Court for federal felonies related to his drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Jesus Venegas-Gatica, 37, of Lakewood, Washington was sentenced to 97 months. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo found that Mr. Venegas-Gatica served in a leadership role in a drug trafficking organization that was responsible for transporting as much as 50 pounds of methamphetamine from California to Washington each month.” . . .
“According to records filed in the case, brothers Jesus and Jose Venegas-Gatica pleaded guilty to drug distribution charges in April 2024. As part of his plea, Jesus Venegas-Gatica admitted to serving in a commanding and controlling role of the drug trafficking organization and utilizing a series of drug redistributors that he controlled and directed.
The Venegas-Gatica family has been involved in drug trafficking since at least 2012. The criminal complaint details Jose Venegas-Gatica’s arrest in 2019 in Kitsap County with 20 pounds of meth. Jose Venegas-Gatica fled and used aliases to return to drug trafficking. The Kitsap County case is resolved by the plea and sentencing in his federal case. Jose Venegas-Gatica was sentenced to 85 months in prison on July 11, 2024.
The men admit various large-scale methamphetamine deals in Cowlitz, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Pierce, and Thurston Counties. The Venegas family transported 20 to 25 kilograms of methamphetamine to Washington each month. Law enforcement tied these defendants to trafficking more than 105 pounds of meth at locations ranging from casino parking lots to outlet mall stores. In one instance, law enforcement caught a co-conspirator getting off an Amtrak train in Kelso, Washington with 55 pounds of methamphetamine in his luggage that he had transported from Sacramento, California.
In May 2022, authorities recovered another 16 kilos of methamphetamine when they executed search warrants at Jesus Venegas-Gatica’s home and an additional 3 kilograms from various co-conspirators.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Tacoma Resident Office, the Lewis County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET), and the Grays Harbor Drug Task Force (GHDTF).” – U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Starting an investigation into immigration status of Jesus Venegas-Gatica and Jose Venegas-Gatica on Friday, September 6, 2024 the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” found information in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington charging documents that indicated Jesus Venegas-Gatica was from “Guerrero, Mexico” and his brother Jose Venegas-Gatica possessed “Mexico identification cards” (See link: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/press-release/file/1512551/dl).
Seeking clarification on Jesus Venegas-Gatica and Jose Venegas-Gatica immigration status, also on September 6th, the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report contacted via e-mail the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington (USAOWDW) Communications Director with the following question:
Are Jesus Venegas-Gatica and Jose Venegas-Gatica citizens of Mexico unlawfully present in the United States of America?
Just hours later, on the same day, the USAOWDW Communications Director responded via e-mail with the following statement:
“As noted on page 6 of the sentencing memo for Jose Venegas-Gatica “He could have returned to Mexico and left his drug dealing ways behind.” Thus indicating his country of origin was Mexico. I am told that at the sentencing hearing and in filed sentencing memoranda, attorneys for both men indicated their clients were not legally present in the U.S.” – U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
On September 9, 2024 Jesus Venegas-Gatica (BOP Register Number: 04653-510), age 37, was incarcerated by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) at SeaTac FDC located in Seattle, Washington.
At a different location, on September 9, 2024 Jose Venegas-Gatica (BOP Register Number: 04646-510), age 36, was incarcerated by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) at Springfield MCFP located in Springfield, Missouri.
Seeking detailed information on the historical immigration status of foreign nationals Jesus Venegas-Gatica and Jose Venegas-Gatica the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” contacted via e-mail on Monday, September 9, 2024 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Public Affairs for the Northwest Region which encompasses the states of Alaska, Oregon and Washington.
As of Wednesday, September 11, 2024 ICE Public Affairs for the Northwest Region has not responded to the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” request for statements on the historical immigration status of Jesus Venegas-Gatica and Jose Venegas-Gatica.
The consequences of federal drug trafficking convictions, Jesus Venegas-Gatica and Jose Venegas-Gatica are now incarcerated with more than 23-thousand criminal aliens in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) prison system.
Lars, the second week of September 2024 and another “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” for Lars Larson Show KXL FM 101.1 Pacific Northwest radio listeners and website followers.
David Olen Cross (docfnc) is a reporter on foreign national crime. He is a more than decade long contributor to the “Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report.” His past crime reporting can be found at http://docfnc.wordpress.com/.
https://docfnc.wordpress.com/2024/09/12/lars-larson-show-criminal-alien-of-the-week-report-367/
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