Spokane resident sentenced to 51 months in prison for attempting to traffic drugs through the U.S. mail | Local

SPOKANE – Ramon Alonso Delgado, a 24-year-old Spokane resident, was sentenced to 51 months in a federal prison after pleading guilty to attempted possession of 50 grams or more of real methamphetamine with the intent to resell. The sentence, which includes five years of probation after the prison term, was handed down by U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice.

The case stemmed from a suspicious package alert on August 30, 2022, when a postal inspector in Spokane was contacted by another inspector in Arizona about a package addressed to Delgado's residence in Spokane. The package, flagged for suspicious contents, was sent to the U.S. Postal Inspection Office in Spokane.

On September 2, 2022, after obtaining a search warrant, postal inspectors opened the package and discovered one pound of methamphetamine and 2,000 pills laced with fentanyl. These dangerous drugs, known across the country for their role in overdose deaths, were promptly seized to prevent their distribution on the streets of Spokane.

“My office will continue to fight the drug epidemic on all fronts, including attempts to use the U.S. Postal Service to traffic illicit substances,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our law enforcement partners and dedicated prosecutors, drugs responsible for so much death and destruction in our communities have been removed from the streets and dealers have been held accountable.”

Anthony Galetti, inspector of the Seattle Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, echoed Waldref's sentiments and emphasized the importance of the ruling. “Today's ruling should send a clear message that the use of the U.S. Mail to facilitate drug trafficking will not be tolerated. This successful investigation is the result of strong partnerships within the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and with our local and federal law enforcement partners.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. Cashman and Timothy J. Ohms.