King County prosecutors filed 106 felony drug dealing charges from January through July, with nearly 80% of the cases involving fentanyl or methamphetamine.
King County prosecutors filed 106 felony drug dealing charges from January through July, with nearly 80% of the cases involving fentanyl, methamphetamine or both, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO).
Nearly half of the charges were tied to four Seattle locations: Belltown, 12th Avenue and Jackson Street in the Chinatown-International District, the Third Avenue and Pike/Pine area, and other parts of downtown Seattle.
Overall, Seattle accounted for 67 cases, or 63% of all felony drug dealing charges filed during the seven-month period.
Thirty-seven cases, or 35% of the countywide total, were tied specifically to downtown Seattle.
Belltown had the highest number of cases with 18, followed by downtown Seattle with 15.
Another 13 cases were tied to 12th Avenue and Jackson Street, while four were filed in connection with the Third Avenue and Pike/Pine area.
Seattle areas or western Washington cities where King County filed felony drug dealing charges from January to July 2026. (KOMO)Fentanyl and methamphetamine figured prominently in the cases.
Of the 106 charges, 84, or 79.2%, involved fentanyl, methamphetamine or both. Fentanyl alone was involved in 70 cases, or 66%.
The cases were filed as King County continued to see hundreds of fatal overdoses. Public Health — Seattle & King County recorded 446 confirmed fatal overdoses from January through July 2026, the same period covered by the prosecution data.
In 2025, King County recorded 914 confirmed fatal overdoses. Of those, 699, or 78%, involved fentanyl, while 506, or 56%, involved methamphetamine.
“Drug dealers who profit from fentanyl and meth are fueling a crisis that is devastating families across King County,” King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said. “The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will keep doing our part to bring charges against drug dealers, hold them accountable using the legal tools available to us, and stop the deadly flow of these drugs into our communities.”
The KCPAO handles drug dealing cases in Seattle and throughout King County.
Drug possession and drug use cases within cities are handled separately by municipal prosecutors.
Prosecutors noted that their office can file charges only in cases referred by law enforcement.
The 106 cases represent felony referrals in which prosecutors determined there was enough evidence to prove the case to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt.
