2 sentenced in family-run drug trafficking ring based in Arlington

SEATTLE - Two family members have been sentenced for a drug trafficking scheme based out of Arlington, Washington, where drugs and cash were buried on a rural property.

The U.S. District Court in Seattle on Wednesday sentenced 27-year-old Jose Arrondondo-Valdez to nine years in prison, and 40-year-old Yvette Olguin to 30 months in prison. The two helped ringleader Cesar Valdez-Sanudo manage a regional drug trafficking operation through debt collection and money laundering.

Arrondondo-Valdez is Valdez-Sanudo’s cousin, and Olguin is his wife.

"Debt collection, money laundering – these are sophisticated organizations that don’t function without members who handle these chores – and the two people sentenced today were key players in a drug ring that distributed massive amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl in our community," said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. "In addition to prison time, substantial resources have also been seized as proceeds of drug trafficking."

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says drug ring members were indicted Dec. 2020 after an extensive wire-tap investigation. Law enforcement seized 143 pounds of meth, 15 pounds of heroin, 35,000 suspected fentanyl pills, 24 firearms and $778,000 in cash.

Prosecutors say Arrondondo-Valdez served as Valdez-Sanudo’s right-hand man, and lived on the Arlington property with him and Olguin—a property purchased with drug money.

"With today’s sentences, Mr. Arrondondo-Valdez and Ms. Olguin will spend significant amounts of time in federal custody as a result of their roles in this drug trafficking organization," said Jacob D. Galvan, Special Agent in Charge for the Seattle DEA. "Together with our state and local partners we removed significant amounts of narcotics and firearms from the community and prevented the organization from using its proceeds to further their illicit schemes."

Arrondondo-Valdez and Valdez-Sanudo were arrested together at Snoqualmie Casino, and officers found three loaded guns in their car, one of which had a homemade silencer—prosecutors say they planned to confront a drug ring member who owed them debts.

Olguin was instrumental in the drug ring’s operations, making hotel and travel arrangements, and laundering cash.

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When agents searched the property during their investigation, they seized meth, heroin and fentanyl pills buried underground, and ten firearms.