An Everett man described by federal prosecutors as a drug redistributor for a cartel-connected trafficking organization was sentenced Friday to 10 1/2 years in fed
An Everett man described by federal prosecutors as a drug redistributor for a cartel-connected trafficking organization was sentenced Friday to 10 1/2 years in federal prison.
Levi Frank Graham, 40, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Tacoma for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Federal investigators identified Graham as a redistributor for brothers Rosario Abel “Joaquin” Camargo Banuelos and Francisco “Fernando” Camargo Banuelos of Sinaloa, Mexico. Prosecutors said the brothers arranged to move kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl into the Pacific Northwest, at times using semi-trucks traveling north on Interstate 5.
Investigators heard Graham on wiretaps ordering pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills and repeatedly trying to obtain fentanyl powder, according to court records cited by prosecutors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating the trafficking organization in September 2022. Authorities said the Tacoma-based operation had ties to Nevada, Oregon and California and distributed large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin and cocaine in western Washington and elsewhere.
By June 2024, investigators were intercepting Graham's calls and text messages ordering drugs from the Camargo Banuelos brothers, according to prosecutors.
Local police arrested Graham in September 2024 with drugs and cash from drug sales, but prosecutors said he continued communicating with the trafficking organization after his arrest.
The broader investigation culminated in coordinated arrests and searches on Aug. 4, 2025. Authorities seized seven pistols, three rifles, 9 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 5 kilograms of fentanyl, nearly 4 kilograms of cocaine, more than a kilogram of heroin and more than $342,000 in suspected drug proceeds.
Illegal drugs seized by law enforcement. (Department of Justice)About a month later, on Sept. 3, 2025, Graham was arrested with drugs and a gun at an Everett hotel.
Prosecutors said the investigation had already resulted in major seizures before the August 2025 operation, including about 465 pounds of methamphetamine, 269 pounds of fentanyl, 23 pounds of cocaine and 6.4 pounds of heroin. Investigators also seized more than $309,000 in assets and about 11 firearms.
Graham has 26 criminal convictions dating back to age 18, according to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. His record includes previous convictions involving drugs and guns.
Prosecutors had asked Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo to impose a 15-year sentence, arguing that Graham continued trafficking drugs despite previous arrests and prison sentences. They said Graham trafficked drugs for at least 15 months during the investigation and later obtained another firearm and body armor.
Estudillo instead sentenced Graham to 10 1/2 years in prison, citing the significant amount of drugs he was likely distributing and their impact on individuals, families, and communities.
