Man accused of leading cartel-linked Puget Sound drug ring pleads not guilty

A man who allegedly led a violent drug trafficking organization in the Puget Sound region pleaded not guilty in Seattle court Thursday.

A federal grand jury indicted Jose Sanchez-Valencia, 58, on four felony charges in 2022. He is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and three counts of illegal use of a communication facility, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.

He was transported from Mexico to the U.S. last month.

“This defendant was the cartel-connected leader of a violent drug trafficking ring operating in the South Puget Sound region,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Floyd stated. “His telephone calls link him to the conspiracy and to a local leader who was shot outside a Kitsap County stash house. Our goal in these investigations is to bring the leaders to justice. Whether they are here in Washington or abroad, they are pulling the strings for the cartels that profit at the cost of human lives in our community.”

Wiretapped calls reveal ‘culture of violence’ in drug ring

Jose Barbosa, one of the local leaders of the drug ring, was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison in February 2023 for his role in the drug trafficking organization tied to the CJNG cartel. Sanchez-Valencia’s indictment cites three phone calls between Barbosa and Sanchez-Valencia tied to activities of the drug ring.

Authorities noted the wiretapped calls revealed a “culture of violence,” as members pursued those who owed drug debts to the organization and possessed guns during the drug conspiracy. Members discussed kidnappings, assaults, and murders as ways to get debtors to pay up.

In November 2019, the drug ring received a shipment of liquid methamphetamine concealed in candles. Barbosa helped extract the methamphetamine and cook it into crystal form at a Port Orchard home. While law enforcement was surveilling the operation, Barbosa was shot in the collarbone behind the house.

“By bringing this defendant from Mexico to face justice in the United States, we are sending a clear message: no matter where cartel leaders attempt to hide, we will work across borders to hold them accountable,” Robert Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division, stated. “The trafficking of methamphetamine, concealed in everyday items like candle wax, demonstrates the lengths these organizations will go to poison our communities.”

Sanchez-Valencia was among 37 Mexican nationals transferred to the U.S. on Jan. 20 for serious crimes.

The charges in the indictment carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison, according to the attorney’s office.

Sanchez-Valencia’s trial is set for April 20.

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