A 38-year-old Grays Harbor County man was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Monday for dealing heroin that led to his cellmate's death inside the SeaTac Federal Detention Center.
Prosecutors charged Gabriel Armas with two counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, according to a news release.
Armas led police on a high-speed chase through Ocean Shores, Grays Harbor County, on Nov. 14, 2023, which led to a pedestrian bridge collapsing. He evaded police, but investigators found fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder and crystal methamphetamine in his car, the release said.
He was found and arrested a few days later for violating the conditions of his supervised release, connected to a 2014 conviction for heroin and methamphetamine trafficking.
Armas was placed in the special housing unit on Nov. 19, 2023. His cellmate was found unresponsive on Nov. 20, 2023, and died despite lifesaving efforts, the release states. An autopsy determined the man died from acute heroin, olanzapine and mirtazapine intoxication.
Authorities found heroin in Armas' cell on Nov. 23, 2023, and they say it was wrapped in a note offering to sell to fellow inmates. Investigators say he told another inmate he sold the heroin that caused his cellmates' overdose on Jan. 25, 2024.
There can hardly be any offenses more serious than one that resulted in the death of (the victim), which happened here," U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said at Monday's sentencing. "And it happened in what was supposed to be a safe environment. The FDC is supposed to be safe, but it wasn’t safe for (the victim) because you made the decision to introduce drugs into this environment and as a result, someone who was loved by his family died.
Armas also received eight years of supervised release once he gets out of prison.
“In the space of just over a week, Mr. Armas’s series of reckless actions contributed to his cellmate’s overdose death; endangered the community by fleeing law enforcement at high speed; and collapsed a bridge not designed for vehicles during that pursuit,” said W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI Seattle field office.
In a letter to the court, Armas apologized to the victim's family and said he needs help with his addiction issues and vowed to get it.
“I have made a lot of poor decisions and mistakes in my life,” he wrote. “I don’t want to make excuses. I take full acceptance and responsibility for my actions. I have realized most of my wrongdoing, mistakes have come from my drug use.”
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