SEATTLE, Wash. — The second of 3 men indicted in a federal court in February of 2021 and arrested under suspicion of multiple counts of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl has been sentenced.
According to records in US District Court in Seattle, Stanley Stubbs, age 52, of Bellingham, entered a guilty plea to the charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced August 17th to 60 months in custody with credit for time served and 4 years of supervised release.
Gorge Ortiz, age 24, of Lynden, was sentenced earlier after his guilty plea was accepted. He was sentenced to 48 months in custody with credit for time served and 3 years of supervised release.
Jaime Hernandez-Hernandez, age 22, of Ferndale, has had his guilty plea accepted by the court and is awaiting sentencing.
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Click for more informationAn undercover investigation involving federal and local agencies revealed the 3 men were responsible for the distribution of thousands of pills tainted with potentially deadly fentanyl. It was reported that over the course of the investigation law enforcement seized thousands of fentanyl pills and pounds of heroin and methamphetamine.
On February 23, 2021, 8 search warrants were executed and law enforcement seized more than 5,000 fentanyl pills.
Due to the amount of fentanyl involved, all 3 men faced mandatory minimum 10-year sentences if convicted.
The investigation was conducted by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Bellingham Residence Office, which is comprised of DEA, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and US Customs and Border Protection. Local law enforcement agencies assisted with the arrests and search warrants executed, including Whatcom County SWAT, Washington State Patrol SWAT, Homeland Security Special Response Team, Skagit County Interlocal Drug Enforcement Unit, Ferndale Police and Lynden Police.
I hope someone can explain the “10 year mandatory minimum sentence” when Stubbs got 60 months in custody, credit for time served, and 4 YEARS of supervised release!! This doesn’t add up to 10 years’ mandatory minimum sentence unless the credit for time served is 4-5 years! What is going on here??
Whatcom County Court System has turned BLUE, must be Democrats in their thought process,, where is the Justice??? They should have gotten there 10 yrs in prison …this is so disappointing
T-E-N , a second grade child can understand that. Please publish the name of the sentencing judge because there needs to be some accountability here. Bellingham is classified as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area where it continues to be profitable for criminals undeterred by light sentences. A coordinated effort by Law Enforcement has done a fine job, and again the Superior Court judge has let them down.
People, drugs are the worst kind of slavery — look around you at the degradation of addicts begging on the streets of Bellingham