Drug trafficker providing fentanyl, other drugs to Whatcom, Skagit counties sentenced

A 38-year-old Maple Falls man was sentenced to federal prison last week for his role in a drug trafficking network responsible for distributing large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other drugs in Whatcom and Skagit counties.

U.S. District Court Judge Lauren King sentenced Jesse Lee Witteveen on March 27 in the Western District of Washington in U.S. District Court to six years in prison, with four years of supervised release. King also recommended Witteveen be admitted into the Bureau of Prisons’ residential drug treatment program, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release.

Witteveen previously pleaded guilty Dec. 21 to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, federal court records show.

“Knowing what drugs have done to your life, you chose to perpetuate the cycle of drug addiction in others,” King said at Witteveen’s sentencing hearing last week, according to the release.

Witteveen was a distributor in 2022 for a drug trafficking organization operating in Whatcom and Skagit counties led by supplier Enoc Martinez Lopez, aka “Victor”, 29, of Marysville.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Whatcom County Drug and Gang Task Force started surveilling various members, including Martinez Lopez and Witteveen, in April 2022.

In August 2022, a federal judge signed a search warrant for records associated with several phone numbers Martinez Lopez was using to conduct drug transactions. Phone records showed Witteveen had been in contact with one of the phone numbers used by Martinez Lopez approximately 144 times between July 26, 2022 and Aug. 19, 2022, according to federal court records.

In a summary of some of the messages included in federal court documents, Witteveen and Martinez Lopez discussed and made plans for the purchases and exchanges of thousands of fentanyl pills, pounds of other drugs, and thousands of dollars in cash.

Witteveen arrest

In early November, after surveilling Witteveen and Martinez Lopez, law enforcement seized hundreds of grams of fentanyl and meth from Witteveen following his arrest.

Shortly after 10 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2022, Witteveen’s phone location showed he had left Maple Falls and traveled to the Walmart in Mount Vernon. Law enforcement found a maroon Nissan Murano, known to be used by Witteveen, in the parking lot. Law enforcement later saw a man wearing a flat-brimmed hat, later identified as Witteveen, and a woman get into the Nissan. A white Honda sedan parked next to the Nissan, and another woman got out of the Honda and into the Nissan.

Then, around 10:51 p.m., both vehicles left the Walmart parking lot, according to federal court records. Witteveen’s phone location data showed it was traveling with the two vehicles, the court documents state.

Law enforcement followed Witteveen’s vehicle to an apartment complex in Mount Vernon, where shortly before 11:30 p.m., Witteveen met up with Martinez Lopez.

Around 11:35 p.m., Witteveen’s vehicle left the Mount Vernon apartment complex parking lot and drove to a nearby gas station, where it met up with the white Honda from the Walmart parking lot.

Both vehicles left the gas station, followed by law enforcement. Both vehicles then stopped on the side of the road and reversed their direction of travel and slowed down. “Driving in this manner is consistent with conducting counter surveillance attempting to identify law enforcement surveillance units,” a special agent with the DEA wrote in federal court documents.

Law enforcement continued to follow Witteveen’s Nissan until they lost sight of it as it drove north on Highway 9 toward Maple Falls from Sedro Woolley. Law enforcement stated they believed Witteveen was driving at a high rate of speed as they were unable to catch up to the Nissan, court documents state.

Whatcom County sheriff’s deputies later found the Nissan driving in Van Zandt. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but Witteveen continued driving. Deputies then used a spike strip and Witteveen stopped the vehicle several miles later, according to court records.

While deputies were attempting to stop Witteveen’s vehicle, they saw a white bag be thrown out of the passenger side window. Deputies found the bag, which contained 959 grams of methamphetamine and 346 grams of fentanyl pills.

Witteveen was then arrested and booked into the Whatcom County Jail. His vehicle was also impounded by law enforcement, court documents state.

A Nov. 3, 2022 search of Witteveen’s Nissan revealed a safe on the front passenger floorboard containing approximately 138 grams of suspected fentanyl pills and 174 grams of suspected methamphetamine. Multiple cell phones and ammunition were also found in the vehicle.

During a search of Witteveen’s residence one day later, law enforcement found 35 grams of suspected methamphetamine, multiple cell phones, firearm parts and a “significant quantity” of ammunition, court documents state.

Witteveen was facing controlled substance and eluding charges in Whatcom County Superior Court, but his case was dismissed in January 2024, records show.

Others sentenced

Several other members of the drug trafficking network Witteveen was part of have also been sentenced or pleaded guilty for their respective roles in distributing drugs across Whatcom and Skagit counties, federal records show.

▪ Martinez Lopez, the supplier for the network, was sentenced Dec. 6 to eight years in federal prison, with four years supervised release. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

▪ Casey Landis, a distributor, was sentenced Jan. 17 to seven years in federal prison, with three years supervised release. He pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute.

▪ Adam Wisniewski pleaded guilty Feb. 8 to two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. His sentencing in federal court has been scheduled for April 3. Wisniewski also had controlled substance and firearm-related charges in Whatcom County Superior Court, but those were dismissed in late February because of his guilty pleas in federal court, county records show.

▪ Anthony Gunderson was sentenced March 20 to three years, five months in federal prison, with three years supervised release. He pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and unlawful possession of a firearm.

▪ Corbin Saunders was sentenced Aug. 25 to two years in prison, with three years supervised release. He pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm. His federal prison sentence will concurrently with his prison sentences for several county cases involving controlled substances, stolen vehicle possession, identity theft and second-degree theft, among other charges.

▪ Manuel Garcia Munoz pleaded guilty April 26 in federal court to one count of distribution of heroin. He was accepted May 19, 2023 into the federal Drug Reentry Alternative Model, or DREAM, program. If Garcia Munoz successfully completes the DREAM program, his federal court case will be dismissed with prejudice. If he is terminated from the program, a federal sentencing for his conviction will occur. Garcia Munoz progressed to phase three of the program at a hearing March 22. His next status hearing is set for April 26.

In total in the case, law enforcement has seized 11.5 kilos of fentanyl pills, 2.8 kilos of fentanyl powder, 5.7 kilos of cocaine, 1.6 kilos of heroin, 8.7 kilos of crystal meth, more than $186,000 in cash and nine firearms, according to the DOJ press release.