In a federal case that’s dealing a heavy blow to local drug distribution networks, two Everett residents have been charged for their roles in trafficking substantial quantities of fentanyl, officials say. According to a statement from Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller, Santana Sandoval, aged 21, was hauled into U.S. District Court in Seattle on charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. His alleged co-conspirator, 45-year-old Kevin Torres Velasquez, was apprehended on April 11, 2025, and has since been behind bars at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac. The Justice Department reported that Sandoval emerged on the radar of law enforcement earlier this year as a suspect implicated in the distribution of fentanyl within King and Snohomish County areas.
Working clandestinely with a confidential source, authorities managed to nab a purchase of fentanyl directly from Sandoval. The subsequent investigation by the Seattle Police Department in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) culminated on January 24, 2025, with a search warrant executed at an Everett apartment linked to Sandoval. The search uncovered not just over 7 kilos of fentanyl powder but also other illegal substances, including cocaine and methamphetamine, along with scales and cash of $12,000.
The sweep initially led to state charges and the temporary jailing of the men at Snohomish County Jail, followed by their release. It took some weeks later that law enforcement could clamp down on the defendants for the federal arrest. The Justice Department stresses, however, that the charges are solely allegations and the defendants are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law…