Drug trafficker sentenced to nearly 6 years in federal prison

A 46-year-old drug smuggler who embroiled Spokane police in a chase in 2020 was sentenced Thursday to nearly 6 years in a federal prison.

Juan Pablo Carrillo-Nava was sentenced to 70 months in prison for possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to resell.

In 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned that Carillo-Nava was active as a drug smuggler for a Mexican cartel in Eastern Washington.

The DEA planned to purchase meth from the organization as part of an investigation on August 13, 2020.

Carrillo-Nava did not show up, so agents went to another location where the organization had previously conducted drug deals; there they spotted Carillo-Nava in a green Honda Accord.

Agents requested that Spokane police make a traffic stop, but instead of stopping, Carrillo-Nava sped away.

Eventually, Carillo-Nava sped through a residential area at 120 km/h, collided with an oncoming vehicle, and his car broke through a chain-link fence and landed in the front yard of a nearby house.

Carillo-Nava was arrested and police found over $28,000 in cash in his car, along with nearly 2 pounds of heroin and over half a pound of meth.

The verdict is a step toward greater safety in the community, said Vanessa Waldref, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.

“Mr. Carillo-Nava was involved in both reckless conduct that was very dangerous to our community and ties to a major drug trafficking organization in Mexico,” Waldref said.

Waldref found that Carillo-Nava was smuggling large quantities of drugs into the area and, after his arrest, continued to endanger the community by fleeing.

“We are really focused on individuals like him who cause great harm to our community,” Waldref said. “He will now serve a long prison sentence.”