TACOMA, WA — Bryson Gill, 32, of Buckeye, Arizona, was sentenced to 17 and a half years in federal prison today for his leadership role in a drug distribution ring operating throughout the Puget Sound region. Gill, who co-led the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin, was also convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and for possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Gill’s operation had evolved after his stash house in Shelton, Washington, was raided in December 2022. Attempting to evade law enforcement, he relocated the headquarters of his drug network to Arizona. However, law enforcement apprehended Gill and his co-conspirator, Michael Slocumb, during a large-scale takedown in March 2023.
“The seriousness of these offenses cannot be understated,” said Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo. “So many people become addicted to these drugs, or worse, suffer fatal overdoses.”
In addition to trafficking over 640,000 fentanyl pills, 12 kilograms of methamphetamine, and a kilogram of fentanyl powder from his Washington stash house, Gill also laundered over $1 million. He used a fake dog training business to mask the illicit funds, spending the proceeds on luxury cars, expensive jewelry, and tickets to sporting events.
“Gill’s drug ring used violence and threats as a core strategy,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “He even discussed kidnapping rival drug dealers and murdering law enforcement officers. His plans to expand the operation in Arizona have now been dismantled.”
When law enforcement raided the Arizona property in 2023, they seized approximately 70 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Throughout the investigation, authorities intercepted wiretaps revealing Gill’s plans to further his criminal operations by setting up an airfield in Arizona to facilitate drug trafficking.
The case is part of a broader effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) to target the highest-level drug traffickers and criminal networks. The investigation was led by the FBI, with significant contributions from the DEA, HSI, local police, and several other law enforcement agencies. The coordinated takedown on March 22, 2023, resulted in two dozen arrests and the seizure of significant amounts of narcotics and firearms.
This conviction marks a significant victory for law enforcement in the ongoing fight against the trafficking of fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics across the United States.
