The Brief
- Two western Washington men have been federally charged in a string of 17 pharmacy burglaries targeting prescription narcotics across the Puget Sound region.
- Investigators say DNA, cellphone data and evidence seized from the suspects’ homes linked them to the yearlong burglary spree.
- If convicted, both men face up to 20 years in prison on each federal count.
SEATTLE – Two western Washington men have been indicted in a yearlong string of pharmacy burglaries, targeting prescription narcotics in the Puget Sound region.
Koumssa Wakgira, 44, of Seattle, and Juston Young, 42, of Renton, are charged in a 24-count federal indictment with charges including:
- Conspiracy to commit pharmacy burglaries
- Conspiracy to distribute prescription drugs
- Burglary and attempted burglary (17 counts)
- Possession with intent to distribute (5 counts)
The backstory:
According to court documents, the organized burglary ring targeted 17 pharmacies between May 2025 and March 2026. They spanned from Kirkland to Chehalis, cutting through King, Thurston, Lewis, and Pierce counties.
The U.S. Department of Justice listed the following locations as pharmacies targeted by Wakgira and Young:
- Bob Johnson’s Pharmacy, Seattle (May 2, 2025)
- Arow Pharmacy Olympia (May 8, 2025)
- Sy Pharmacy, Seattle (May 17, 2025)
- Hawks Prairie Pharmacy, Lacey (Sept. 13, 2025)
- Good Pharmacy, Tacoma (Sept. 13, 2025)
- Navos Pharmacy, Seattle (Nov. 16, 2025)
- Ready Meds Pharmacy, Renton (Nov. 28, 2025)
- Evergreen Professional Center Pharm., Kirkland (Dec. 20, 2025)
- Swedish Arnold Pharmacy, Seattle (Dec. 21, 2025)
- Fred Meyer Pharmacy, Seattle (Dec. 25, 2025)
- Tukwila Station Pharmacy, SeaTac (Jan. 1, 2026)
- Tukwila Station Pharmacy, SeaTac (Feb. 1, 2026)
- Sea Mar Pharmacy, Olympia (Feb. 24, 2026)
- Purdy Cost Less Prescriptions, Gig Harbor (Feb. 25, 2026)
- Panorama Pharmacy, Lacey (March 22, 2026)
- Centralia Pharmacy, Centralia (March 22, 2026)
- Chehalis Pharmacy, Chehalis (March 22, 2026)
The DEA claims they wore similar clothing in each burglary, as caught on surveillance camera. Their gear included gray Nike sneakers, a black cap with a headlamp, and black gloves with lettering.…