Federal Way Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Drug Trafficking

SEATTLE, Wash. — A federal judge sentenced a 54-year-old Federal Way man to three years in prison Wednesday for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that supplied cocaine and methamphetamine to Seattle-area dealers, including people operating in Seattle’s “The Jungle” and Chinatown International District.

Leonardo Rojas Cruz pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy before his sentencing in U.S. District Court in Seattle. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd announced the sentence.

Rojas Cruz ordered pound- and kilogram-level quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine for redistribution, according to prosecutors. Investigators identified him through intercepted communications beginning in October 2024 and later intercepted him discussing the sale of a pound of methamphetamine in February 2025.

At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Tana Lin told Rojas Cruz that cocaine users face a particular overdose risk because cocaine and fentanyl powder can look similar.

“You not only gambled with your own life but with the lives of others as well.”

Tana Lin, U.S. District Judge

Drug Ring Investigation

The investigation led to the seizure of large quantities of illegal drugs and firearms across multiple states.

On May 29, 2025, law enforcement officers executed 16 search warrants in Washington, Oregon and California. Searches in Federal Way, Vancouver, Everett, Pacific, Tukwila, Kent, Issaquah, Seattle, Woodlake, California, and Beaverton, Oregon, resulted in the seizure of:

• More than 7 kilograms of cocaine
• 18 kilograms of methamphetamine
• More than 57,000 fentanyl pills
• 17 firearms
• More than $353,000 in cash

Earlier in March 2025, investigators seized 100 pounds of methamphetamine, 111 kilograms of cocaine, 19 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 250,000 fentanyl pills and 4 kilograms of heroin while investigating this drug ring and a related organization.

Federal prosecutors estimated the street value of those drugs at nearly $3 million.

“Despite a prior drug trafficking conviction, Mr. Rojas Cruz chose to continue down a path leading to suffering and addiction for so many.”

W. Mike Herrington, FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge

DEA Seattle Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Saccone said the fentanyl powder seized during the investigation represented approximately 1.7 million potentially lethal doses.

Prior Drug Trafficking Conviction

Rojas Cruz is a Mexican national who previously served more than five years in federal prison for drug trafficking.

Prosecutors handled that case in the Eastern District of Washington, where a judge sentenced him in 1991.

Prosecutors told the court that Rojas Cruz returned to drug trafficking decades later and remained involved for an extended period.

Investigators said intercepted communications showed Rojas Cruz purchasing substantial quantities of cocaine from a co-defendant over a short period and later discussing the sale of methamphetamine.

Prosecutors said Rojas Cruz trafficked cocaine and methamphetamine, which they identified as two of the three leading causes of overdose deaths in King County.

Other Defendants Sentenced

Several other people charged in the investigation have already received federal prison sentences:

• Daniel Ibarra Loera, 32, of Kent: 96 months
• Jose Garcia Corona, 62, of Seattle: 15 months
• Oscar Omar Serrano Serrano, 32, of Algona: 30 months
• Juan Lopez Roblero, 44, of Tukwila: 12 months
• Giovanni Antonio Garduno Garcia, 47, of Issaquah: 72 months

A judge will sentence Sang Su, 44, of Seattle, on Nov. 4, 2026.

Federal officials expect to deport Rojas Cruz after he completes his prison sentence.

Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

The Homeland Security Task Force initiative conducted the investigation as part of a federal effort targeting criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and other criminal networks.

The FBI, Seattle Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation division, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, Homeland Security Investigations, Washington National Guard Counterdrug Program, Oregon State Police and Clark County Sheriff’s Office also assisted.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Brian Wynne prosecuted the case.

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