CRIME BLOTTER

‘Flooding our streets with poison’: Puyallup man tied to white prison gangs sentenced to 11 years

Aug 5, 2026, 3:30 PM

puyallup white prison gang...

The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building. (Photo: Andrew Harnik, Getty Images)

(Photo: Andrew Harnik, Getty Images)

A 44-year-old Puyallup man was sentenced to 11 years in prison last week for his role as a significant narcotic distributor for a drug trafficking organization tied to white prison gangs.

In February 2026, Daniel Hammond was convicted at a trial of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.

“These substances have wreaked havoc in our communities,” Chief U.S. District Judge David Estudillo said at the sentencing hearing. “We are not dealing with someone who is just an addict who committed a petty crime; this was not just a one-time decision … the history shows you had a lifestyle living off of this type of conduct.”

Case grew out of a two-year probe into two white prison gangs

In March 2023, the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began a two-year, multi-agency investigation into drug trafficking by members and associates of two predominantly white prison gangs: the Aryan Family and Omerta.

Both gangs, as well as associates outside of the prison, were involved in drug trafficking and money laundering, including distributing multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine throughout western Washington and other states.

Throughout the investigation, agents seized an estimated 223 pounds of methamphetamine, roughly 830,000 fentanyl pills, multiple-pound quantities of fentanyl powder, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, $338,000 of suspected drug proceeds, and 48 firearms from the conspiracy’s members.

Additionally, during the coordinated arrests of the drug trafficking organization’s members in March 2023, law enforcement seized roughly 22 pounds of methamphetamine, 26 pounds of fentanyl in both pill and powder form, six pounds of heroin, more than $330,000 of suspected drug proceeds, and 177 additional firearms.

“Mr. Hammond played a key role in a widespread and lethal conspiracy to traffic vast amounts of dangerous drugs into Washington state, personally redistributing multiple pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills on a weekly basis,” W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office, said. “Even after his arrest, Mr. Hammond demonstrated a complete lack of regard for the consequences and human toll of his actions, continuing to seek profit at every opportunity by flooding our streets with poison.”

Puyallup man worked closely with a leader of one gang branch

The investigation identified three branches of the gangs involved in drug trafficking. Hammond was one of the key associates of Yehoshua Kilp, a leader of one of the three branches. One year ago, Kilp was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

In asking for an 188-month prison sentence, prosecutors highlighted the deadly impact of the drugs Hammond spread throughout the community.

“Hammond conspired to flood western Washington with massive quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills,” prosecutors wrote. “These drugs have a devastating impact on the community. Users of these drugs frequently resort to stealing — from family members, friends, and complete strangers — to feed their addictions.

“No doubt, drug users are responsible for a large percentage of these crimes, as well as the violent crimes, in our communities,” prosecutors continued. “More importantly, these drugs destroy the lives of those who use them, and the lives of the users’ families and friends. Those families and friends are prisoners, forced to watch the toll these drugs take on their sons, daughters, parents, or friends.”

Crime Blotter

SWAT standoff Kent...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Suspect in multiple shootings dies by apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound during SWAT standoff

A 20-year-old suspected in at least two shootings died by suicide in a SWAT standoff in Kent while officers were trying to arrest him. According to Kent PD, the man was believed to have been involved in a drive-by shooting at a Tacoma Walmart on Tuesday night. Tacoma officers were trying to arrest a shoplifting suspect […]

1 hour ago

seattle hate crime attack...

Jason Sutich

2 victims pin down suspect after hate crime attack in downtown Seattle

A 40-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly injured two men in a hate crime attack late Tuesday night in downtown Seattle.

5 hours ago

puyallup white prison gang...

MyNorthwest Staff

‘Flooding our streets with poison’: Puyallup man tied to white prison gangs sentenced to 11 years

A Puyallup man was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role as a narcotic distributor for a drug trafficking organization tied to white prison gangs.

7 hours ago

walmart...

James Lynch

Shots fired outside Tacoma Walmart as officer struggles to arrest teen accused of shoplifting

A juvenile shoplifting arrest outside a Tacoma Walmart turned into a shooting scare when someone in a passing vehicle fired multiple shots.

8 hours ago

jet ski drug smuggling wa canadian hacker data breach...

MyNorthwest Staff

‘Hiding behind a screen’: Canadian hacker pleads guilty in data breach affecting 100M people

A 26-year-old Canadian man pleaded guilty to a widespread computer hacking conspiracy that resulted in the compromise of more than 165 victim organizations.

9 hours ago

U-District attack...

Jack Bilyeu, KIRO 7 News

21-year-old suffers brain bleed after U-District attack over parking space

A 21-year-old ended her birthday in the hospital bleeding from her brain after she was attacked in Seattle’s U-District neighborhood.

10 hours ago

‘Flooding our streets with poison’: Puyallup man tied to white prison gangs sentenced to 11 years