Moses Lake Man Sentenced To 17 Years For Dealing In Drugs/Guns

A Moses Lake man will serve 17 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to dealing drugs and being a felon in possession of a gun. 

Prosecutors say 34-year-old Guillermo Valdez dealt large quantities of drugs, trafficked in stolen guns and led police on a high-speed chase. 

They also say he took part in the theft of guns, and sold one that was used in the murder of a child in Othelllo. 

Valdez was sentenced this week after pleading guilty in April to numerous illegal activities that all took place in 2021.  

His charges included two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 or More Grams of Methamphetamine and two counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  

According to court documents, Valdez participated in a residential burglary in Spokane County on February 24, 2021, where he stole eleven firearms.  

Valdez and a co-defendant then sold the stolen guns, with one of then being used to kill a child three days after the burglary. 

A little more than a month later, on April 2, 2021, a trooper with the Washington State Patrol attempted to pull Valdez over. 

Valdez fled the attempt and was observed throwing a bag containing a pistol and 822 grams of methamphetamine from the vehicle while driving 90-100 miles-per-hour. 

Valdez was detained while hiding in a tree after crashing his car through a fence.  

Then on July 7, 2021, Valdez was arrested at his home in Moses Lake. A search of the house turned up 604 grams of methamphetamine, with some of it found in his child’s bedroom. 

In addition to his 17-year sentence, Valdez also was given 5 years of supervised release. 

“Mr. Valdez’s brazen conduct clearly warranted this significant sentence,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “ATF is committed to keeping members of our communities safe from violent criminals such as Mr. Valdez.” 

 Valdez was tried and sentenced in federal court in Spokane.