A Grays Harbor County man who smuggled heroin into a federal detention center, leading to an inmate’s fatal overdose, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller announced in a news release.
Gabriel Armas faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison because of the amount of narcotics involved and his previous 2015 conviction for trafficking heroin and methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle scheduled sentencing for Dec. 16.
According to a statement of facts included with the plea agreement, on Nov. 14, 2023, Armas was found slumped over the wheel of a vehicle in a parking lot in Ocean Shores. When an officer knocked on the window, Armas drove away at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement stopped the pursuit due to his reckless driving.
The car Armas was driving got stuck on a bridge that had not been designed for vehicle traffic, and the bridge collapsed. Armas left the area, but a drug-detecting dog found items he had abandoned in the area, such as baggies containing fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder and crystal methamphetamine. They also found IDs and bank cards in Armas’ name.
A few days later, Armas was found in the area where the car was abandoned and was booked into the a federal detention center on allegations he had violated his federal supervision. He was housed in the special housing unit on the night of Nov. 19, 2023. On the morning of Nov. 20, 2023, the person sharing the cell with Armas was found unresponsive and died despite lifesaving efforts. An autopsy revealed the man died from acute heroin, olanzapine and mirtazapine intoxication.
On Nov. 23, 2023, authorities found heroin hidden in Armas’ cell. It was wrapped in a jailhouse note offering heroin for sale to inmates. A few weeks later, more heroin was found in the top of a pill bottle in Armas’ cell. On Jan. 25, 2024, Armas admitted to another inmate that he made money selling heroin to other inmates and that his cellmate overdosed and died from the heroin. Armas said he swallowed some of the heroin to hide it from staff after his cellmate’s overdose.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, both the defense and prosecution will recommend a 10-year prison term. Judge Settle is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law.
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Ocean Shores Police Department and the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Shiner.
