‘You knew what you were selling’: Federal Way man sentenced to 9 years in fentanyl conspiracy

A 22-year-old Federal Way man was sentenced Thursday to nine years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of fentanyl.

Sir Terrique Milam was a trusted associate of one of the leaders of the family-based drug trafficking organization, Markell Jackson, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.

Milam was heard on phone calls arranging to go to Arizona with Jackson to pick up a 150,000-pill load of fentanyl.

“You were in on the conspiracy, you knew what you were selling, and you kept going even after contact with law enforcement,” U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead told Milam at the sentencing hearing.

Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 846,000 fentanyl pills, nearly seven kilograms of fentanyl powder, seven kilograms of cocaine and 29 firearms. They also seized more than $116,000 in cash.

“Mr. Milam was a trusted member of this drug trafficking organization — trusted to travel to Arizona and meet with the primary supplier of the drugs,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said. “He is a young man but already has convictions for promoting prostitution and illegal firearms possession. This prison sentence is needed to protect the community and break his cycle of crime.”

Federal Way man was stopped by police, then bragged about outsmarting them

Milam was identified through a wiretap investigation and stopped returning to eastern Washington in August 2024. The police revealed that Milam was in possession of a firearm in the vehicle. Milam later bragged on a wiretapped phone call that he was able to get the fentanyl pills out of the car before the police searched it.

Milam continued to be involved with drug trafficking despite the run-in with law enforcement. On October 2, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants at Milam’s home and seized 323.8 grams of fentanyl from underneath Milam’s bed, along with several drug scales and $4,900 in cash that Milam admitted were proceeds of drug trafficking.

In October 2024, law enforcement “fanned out” across the country and in western Washington, arresting 17 people on indictments and criminal complaints for the multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy. The two-year investigation culminated in search and arrest warrants in Georgia, Missouri, Texas, Arizona, and Washington.

“In close partnership with the leader of this organization, Mr. Milam conspired with him and others to distribute huge quantities of deadly drugs,” W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office, stated. “He clearly has not learned his lesson from previous convictions and from his attempts to evade law enforcement and so will have to deal with the consequences of his repeated criminal behavior.”

The drug ring leaders were 33-year-old Marquis Jackson, his parents, defendants Mandel Jackson, 52, and Matelita Jackson, 51, and siblings Markell Jackson, 23, and Miracle Patu-Jackson, 25.

Members of the Jackson family were indicted for various conspiracy counts, including drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies. Records filed in the case linked some of the Jackson family members to a Seattle-area street gang.

Several other members of the ring have already been sentenced

The Jackson family and other members of the conspiracy are scheduled to stand trial in July 2027.

The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A number of the members of the drug distribution ring have pleaded guilty and have already been sentenced:

Michael Young Jr, 45, of Tacoma, was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Treyvon Mitchell, 33, of Kent, was sentenced to six years in prison.

Robert Johnson, 22, of Renton, was sentenced to 70 months in prison.

Tyrell Lewis, 34, of Federal Way, was sentenced to 37 months in prison.

Phillip Lamont Alexander, 50, of Des Moines, has pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing in November 2026.

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