This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com
A man known as a “major redistributor” for a drug trafficking ring connected to Aryan prison gangs in the South Sound was sentenced to 126 months in prison, acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller confirmed.
Joseph Hempel, 46, from Burien, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and being a felon in possession of a firearm in March 2024. He delivered and distributed drugs for Jesse James Bailey, the leader of one of the three branches of the drug distribution organization. Bailey pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on June 13…