Burien man sentenced for role in Aryan prison drug trafficking ring

A man known as a “major redistributor” for a drug trafficking ring connected to Aryan prison gangs in the South Sound was sentenced to 126 months in prison, acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller confirmed.

Joseph Hempel, 46, from Burien, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and being a felon in possession of a firearm in March 2024. He delivered and distributed drugs for Jesse James Bailey, the leader of one of the three branches of the drug distribution organization. Bailey pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on June 13.

“At various times on the wiretap, law enforcement heard Mr. Hempel order as much as 25 pounds of methamphetamine and 20,000 fentanyl pills,” Miller said in a prepared statement. “Distributing such large loads of narcotics meant that both the reach and the damage from Mr. Hempel’s drug activity was widespread in our community.”

An 18-month wiretap investigation found that the three interconnected drug trafficking rings were a part of the Aryan Family/Omerta Drug Trafficking Organization.

Findings from the 18-month wiretap investigation

The investigation came to a head when law enforcement made two dozen arrests, requiring the involvement of 10 SWAT teams and more than 350 law enforcement officers. Officers seized 177 firearms, more than 10 kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills, more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and more than $330,000 in cash from 18 locations in Washington and Arizona.

The investigation previously netted 830,000 fentanyl pills, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, 223 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of heroin, five pounds of cocaine, $388,000 in cash, and 48 firearms.

“Hempel ordered and distributed large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin for the purpose of redistributing it throughout the community,” prosecutors wrote to the court. “These drugs have a devastating impact. 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.”

Hempel’s residence contained 1,003 fentanyl pills, 1.6 kilograms of heroin, three kilograms of marijuana, 11 drug scales, a drug ledger, and $14,799 of drug proceeds. Law enforcement officers also found body armor, ammunition, and multiple firearms, including multiple shotguns (one with an obliterated serial number) and rifles.

Hempel was previously convicted of car theft and possession of stolen property.

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