Former King County Jail guard sentenced for bribery and drug smuggling

A former King County Jail guard was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for accepting bribes and distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl pills, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Tessa Gorman said. Mosses Ramos, 40, of Milton, served as a jail guard for 18 years and was fired last year following his arrest.

At the sentencing hearing last week, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez condemned Ramos for betraying his colleagues and endangering the safety of both officers and inmates.

“You were smuggling deadly poison into the jail,” Martinez said.

Court records reveal that between March and May 2023, Ramos accepted a $5,000 bribe to smuggle approximately one pound of methamphetamine and 100 fentanyl pills into the jail for inmates Michael Anthony Barquet, 37, and Francisco Montero, 25. Both inmates are currently in jail, with Montero awaiting trial for a double homicide and Barquet scheduled for trial on drug and bribery charges in April 2025.

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Gorman emphasized the critical role of corrections officers in maintaining safe and secure detention facilities.

“Mr. Ramos betrayed the trust placed in him and jeopardized the safety of his colleagues and detainees by smuggling highly addictive and lethal drugs into the jail,” she stated.

The investigation uncovered a broader network of bribes and drug trafficking involving three alleged associates of the inmates: Neca Silvestre, 38, of Kent; Katrina Cazares, 38, of Burien and Kayara Zepeda Montero, 27, of Seattle. All three have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang, who requested a ten-year sentence, highlighted Ramos’ history of abusing his authority.

“For years, he introduced drugs and other contraband into the facility,” Chang wrote in a statement. “He disclosed confidential information to inmates and allowed them to assault one another. Ramos’ unwavering abuse of power is an aggravating factor for his sentence.”

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King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall expressed the office’s dedication to keeping deadly drugs out of communities and jails.

“We are glad to have played a role in helping the Department of Justice shed light on these egregious and appalling crimes,” she said.

Kelly Smith, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of FBI Seattle, also noted the collaborative effort between agencies.

“We are grateful for the exceptional collaboration with the King County Sheriff’s Office and the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention,” she said. “This successful joint investigation demonstrates the commitment of public safety professionals to hold those who violate this trust to the highest standards.”

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.