Man Enters Guilty Plea To Violations Maldonado Family Distributes Drugs, Investigators Believe

A Tonasket, Wash., man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Spokane to 13 drug and firearms violations, the U.S. attorney’s office said Thursday.

Felix S. Maldonado, 41, entered guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to distribute 400 kilograms of cocaine and a separate count of conspiracy to distribute 4.5 kilograms of cocaine.

In addition, he pleaded guilty to seven counts of delivery of cocaine, two counts of cocaine possession with intent to deliver and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of drug trafficking.

Maldonado made the pleas Tuesday in U.S. District Court on the second day of a planned two-week trial.

The pleas culminate a years-long drug investigation by several agencies, including the FBI, U.S. Customs Service and the U.S. Border Patrol.

Maldonado and seven others were arrested in February in connection with an alleged cocaine-trafficking ring investigators believed was headed by Maldonado’s family.

Okanogan County sheriff’s deputies and federal agents served five search warrants on members of the Maldonado family in February in a sweep that netted about 12 guns as well as crack cocaine and a small amount of marijuana.

Six of those arrested were members of the family. Investigators believe the family heads an operation that buys out-of-state cocaine for distribution in north-central Washington.

Other arrests have been made since February.

Jose Maldonado, Alfredo Maldonado and Dalia Maldonado have pleaded guilty to drug charges and await sentencing.

Pablo Maldonado was convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Saul Maldonado, Amador Maldonado and Domingo Ochoa were sentenced after pleading guilty to drug charges.

Felix Maldonado’s sentencing is set for Sept. 29.

, DataTimes