Kent man who led violent international drug trafficking ring sentenced to over 12 years in prison
A man from Kent, who was a leader in a violent international drug trafficking organization, was sentenced Tuesday to 12 years and three months in prison, according to U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.
37-year-old Jose Elias Barbosa helped lead a group of drug traffickers that distributed heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Puget Sound region. They also used guns and threats of violence to collect debts.
“This cartel-connected drug trafficking ring damaged our community with dangerous drugs, and with their guns and threats of violence,” said Brown. “Our focus is on curtailing the flow of dangerous and addictive drugs into western Washington. We need the community to work together to reduce the market for these substances.”
According to case records, Barbosa pleaded guilty in August 2022 to being one of the leaders of a transnational drug trafficking organization. Law enforcement linked the organization to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Mexico.
In Nov. 2019, the DTO received a shipment of liquid methamphetamine concealed in candles. Barbosa helped DTO members to extract the methamphetamine and cook it into crystal form in Port Orchard.
While surveilling the Port Orchard house, law enforcement heard multiple gunshots and later learned that a rival had shot Barbosa in the collarbone.
Members of the drug ring were concerned law enforcement would arrive at the Port Orchard house, so they loaded the meth-infused candle wax into a van. The van was later stopped by law enforcement, who seized the meth and the processing equipment.
Barbosa was responsible for distributing at least 55 pounds of methamphetamine, 600 grams of heroin and fentanyl throughout Western Washington and elsewhere.
Wiretapped phone calls revealed that Barbosa confronted people who owed drug debts to the DTO. He once threatened another DTO member and took his car to satisfy a debt, according to the plea agreement.
The calls also showed that Barbosa and others frequently talked about kidnappings, assaults and even murders as ways to get people to pay up.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operation.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tacoma Resident Office in partnership with the Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Team, Kent Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, SeaTac Police Department, Thurston County Narcotics Team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
“Every day, the men and women of the DEA in Seattle and throughout the U.S. are working tirelessly to stop dangerous drugs from entering our country,” said Jacob D. Galvan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Seattle Field Division. “We will continue with all of our partners in holding those like Mr. Barbosa accountable and protecting our communities from illicit narcotics, guns, and violence.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Jaquette and C. Andrew Colasurdo.
