The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
A federal judge sentenced Leonardo Rojas Cruz, 54, of Federal Way, Washington, to three years in prison on September 30, 2026, for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. The government said the conspiracy distributed cocaine and methamphetamine in Seattle, including in areas where it preyed on unhoused people.
Who was sentenced, and what was the sentence?
U.S. District Judge Tana Lin sentenced Rojas Cruz to three years in federal prison. The Justice Department said he was indicted in May 2025 after a lengthy wiretap investigation. The sentencing announcement describes him as a redistributor who ordered multiple-pound quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Judge Lin told Rojas Cruz: “You not only gambled with your own life but with the lives of others as well.” The DOJ release says he will likely be deported after serving his prison term; it describes an expected outcome, not a completed deportation.
The announcement does not state whether the judgment includes supervised release, fines, or other conditions.
#1 Best Overall
What did authorities say about the trafficking operation?
Prosecutors said the conspiracy preyed in part on unhoused people in Seattle’s “The Jungle,” beneath I-5, and in the Seattle International District. DEA Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Saccone characterized the activity as pushing “deadly poison” into the Chinatown International District and profiting from vulnerable people in The Jungle. That is the agency official’s description of the case.
The DOJ also said Rojas Cruz had a prior federal drug-trafficking conviction in Eastern Washington and received a sentence of more than five years in 1991.
What drugs and other items were seized?
The DOJ sentencing announcement reports two separate sets of seizures. One concerns searches conducted on May 29, 2025; the other covers broader investigation activity in March 2025 involving this ring and a related ring. They are different events, and their figures should not be combined.
| Scope and date | Reported seizures |
|---|---|
| 16 searches in Washington, California, and Oregon on May 29, 2025 | More than 7 kilograms of cocaine; 18 kilograms of methamphetamine; more than 57,000 fentanyl pills; 17 firearms; and more than $353,000 in cash. |
| Wider investigation activity in March 2025 | 100 pounds of methamphetamine; 111 kilograms of cocaine; 19 kilograms of fentanyl powder; 250,000 fentanyl pills; and 4 kilograms of heroin. The DOJ release put the narcotics’ street value at nearly $3 million. |
Acting U.S. Attorney Charle Neil Floyd cited the March totals when describing the scale of the investigation. Those figures include activity involving a related ring, not only the May 29 searches tied to the case-related warrants.
Rank #3
What is known about the other defendants?
The sentencing release lists prison terms for several co-conspirators:
- Daniel Ibarra Loera: 96 months.
- Jose Garcia Corona: 15 months.
- Oscar Omar Serrano Serrano: 30 months.
- Juan Lopez Roblero: 12 months.
- Giovanni Antonio Garduno Garcia: 72 months.
The release said Sang Su was scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2026. That date was still prospective when the DOJ announcement was issued.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the case moved from indictment to sentencing
In a June 2, 2025 announcement about related indictments, the DOJ described charges against defendants as allegations and noted that defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Rojas Cruz has since been sentenced; the September 30, 2026 release is the government’s post-conviction account of his sentence and role in the conspiracy.
Sources: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, sentencing announcement; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, June 2, 2025 announcement on related indictments.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
