Update for 6:10 p.m., Aug. 28
In a major bust of a prescription drug trafficking operation spanning from Northern California to Puget Sound, over 100 federal and local law enforcement officers and agents raided 16 different locations and arrested 24 people in the early morning hours of Aug. 28, including an alleged mid-level dealer living in West Seattle.

FBI Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Steven Dean, in a press conference after the busts, said among those arrested was Herman Roche, 43, of Kent – the alleged ring leader of a massive operation that smuggled thousands upon thousands of oxycodone pills from Northern California to the streets of King County for resale.

“In this criminal enterprise, he was the man, he was the top,” Dean said. “He was the head dog, and we took the head dog out.”

Brian M. Davis, 33, was arrested at his home on the 5400 block of 30th Ave S.W. in West Seattle during the raids (just south of Camp Long near the intersection of 30th and S.W. Brandon St.) and charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance (as was everyone else charged on the 28th). The crime carries a maximum possible punishment of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine, according to a Department of Justice press release.

The investigation into Roche and his dealers started two years ago as part of a collaboration between the FBI and Seattle Police called the Seattle Safe Streets Task Force that “works to identify, disrupt, and dismantle existing and emerging violent criminal enterprises and gangs in King County …” The operation, called “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” ultimately involved 12 different federal and local law enforcement partners and four FBI field offices. Four of the 24 arrests were made in California where the oxycodone supply came from.

“We are focused very heavily on ending prescription drug abuse and rooting out those criminals responsible for dealing in prescription drugs,” U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan said at the press conference. “As many of you know, it is a growing epidemic in America, and particularly here in the Western District of Washington. Last year it was estimated that the deaths of overdose by prescription drugs exceeded the number of deaths for motor vehicles. One out of 12 high school students have abused prescription drugs. Over 2 million Americans are hooked on prescription drugs.

“There is a clear nexus between drug dealing and violent crime,” Durkan added, before turning the podium over to Seattle Police Deputy Chief Nick Metz.

“It’s no secret that throughout the last six-plus months we have seen an uptick in violence, particularly in the Rainier Beach location, and we are confident that the arrests of these individuals is going to really help play a significant role in making those neighborhoods and our streets safer,” Metz said.

Court documents were released in the distribution case against Brian Davis of West Seattle and show he was an alleged mid-level dealer for Roche, the kingpin.

The probable cause section of those documents show agents employed a variety of surveillance techniques – from wiretaps to stakeouts, confidential informants and witnesses in cracking the network that has been in operation for up to five years.

The investigating FBI agent wrote that Roche had “associates” travel to California to pick up anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 percocet pills (oxycodone). Once they returned, he would allegedly distribute to his mid-level dealers throughout the Puget Sound region.

Surveillance logs in the Davis case reveal law enforcement had established good tracking of Roche and his discussions with dealers by mid-August, through cell phone calls and text messages.

In a conversation monitored by the FBI on on Aug. 12, 2012, Davis allegedly calls Roche and they agree to meet up.

"I'm gonna need six," Davis said, according to court documents likely referring to 600 pills.

"When they, when they gonna be ready?" Roche replies, allegedly referring to Davis's customers.

"I'm gonna call you when, when we get together pimp. I'm just trying to make sure but uh ... it's gonna be real good pimp," Davis said.

A surveillance team then witnessed an alleged drug transaction between the two shortly thereafter.

Davis will have a detention hearing on Aug. 31 and a preliminary examination in the case is set for Sept. 11.

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Live update from the FBI press conference on Aug. 28 raids, 1:25 p.m.
24 people were arrested and 18 indicted on federal conspiracy to distribute controlled substances charges from Seattle to Southern California in a massive prescription drug crackdown named “Operation PeeWee’s Playhouse” on Aug. 28.

Those arrested include Brian M. Davis, 33, an individual from West Seattle (more details to come).

The alleged ring leader, Herman Roche, from Kent was arrested along with 23 others involved in moving of oxycodone from California into the Puget Sound area.

While direct connections were not made with the rash of gun violence in Seattle so far this year, SPD Deputy Chief Nick Metz said he believes violence in Rainier Valley will drop as a result of today’s arrests.

Here is the text from the Department of Justice press release on the arrests:

More than 100 federal and local law enforcement agents fanned out across the Puget Sound Region and Northern California today to arrest more than 20 defendants implicated in a significant narcotics trafficking ring, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. Eighteen of the defendants have been indicted by the grand jury for distributing thousands of oxycodone pills in the Seattle area. An additional six defendants were arrested for their role in the drug distribution scheme. The arrests are the culmination of a two-year investigation by the Seattle Safe Streets Task Force, operated by the FBI and Seattle Police Department. The defendants will make their initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Seattle at 2:30 today.

“Prescription drug abuse is a growing threat in our community, with terrible consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “This drug ring was feeding addiction with thousands of pills trafficked from California. They lined their pockets by destroying the lives and families of so many in our community.”

According to the criminal complaints and indictment, members of the ring would frequently travel to Northern California to pick up 2,000 to 5,000 percocet (oxycodone) pills per trip. The ring, led by HERMAN J. ROCHE, 43, of Kent, Washington would then sell the pills throughout the Puget Sound region. The investigation into the organized criminal group involved confidential informants as well as court authorized wiretaps of three phones belonging to ROCHE. Agents in California arrested defendants who were the source of supply for the drugs.

“Drugs tear at the inner fabric of our community in countless ways,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Laura M. Laughlin. “They bring violence to our streets. They waste young lives and wreak havoc on families. They drain the resources of our health care systems. This joint investigation with the Seattle Police Department focused not only on taking harmful drugs off the streets, but on dismantling the organization behind them. The FBI is committed to preventing criminal enterprises from continuing to damage our community.”

In addition to ROCHE, those indicted for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances include:

ROBERT M. KEARNEY JR., 40, of Stockton, California
SHAUNTE M. ANTHONY, 34, of Oakland, California
RUCHELL GILBERT, 38, of Renton, Washington
BRANDY N. BUTLER, 34, of Seattle, Washington
NICKOLE E. MARTIN, 25, of Kent, Washington
JASON R. LEE, 26, of Seattle, Washington
RAHMAN JOHNSON, 35, of Kent, Washington
SAXTON F. MASON, 35, of Seattle, Washington
ERNEST J. ELLISON, 47, of Seattle, Washington
DEMONTA M. HENRY, 24, of Kent, Washington
VINCENT L. FIELDS, 44, of Tacoma, Washington
COREY A. BROWN, 39, of Seattle, Washington
CLARENCE D. WILLIAMS, 32, of Seattle, Washington
JOSEPH D. ROCHE, 46, of Seattle, Washington
THOMAS D. LEE, 45, of Seattle, Washington
DAVID L. POTTS, 48, of Spanaway, Washington
CURIUM L. HURLEY, 29, of Tukwila, Washington
The defendants charged by complaint include:

DANIEL M.YOHANNES, 26, of Seattle, Washington
BRIAN M. DAVIS, 33, of Seattle, Washington
FREDERICK L. NEWMAN Jr., 39, of Tukwila, Washington
ANTHONY F. COLBERT, 42, Renton, Washington
Additional defendants arrested include:

NEGASH MULU WOLDESELASE, 25, of Seattle, Washington
ALVIN ROCHELL MITCHELL, 24, of Seattle, Washington
“This joint SPD-FBI investigation and the federal prosecution of these hard-core, violent career criminals will impact our Seattle neighborhoods in a positive way by making our streets a safer place for everyone,” said Seattle Police Chief John Diaz.

The charges contained in the indictment and complaints are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

This was an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, providing supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved.

The case is being investigated by the Seattle Safe Streets Task Force containing agents and officers from the FBI and Seattle Police Department. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), along with officers from the Auburn Police Department, Des Moines Police Department, Federal Way Police Department, Kent Police Department, King County Sheriff’s Office, Kirkland Police Department, Mountlake Terrace Police Department, Port of Seattle Police Department, Renton Police Department, and Tukwila Police Department partnered with the task force on today’s arrests.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas Brown and Vince Lombardi.

More details to come soon.

Original post
FBI Public Affairs Specialist Ayn Dietrich confirmed several homes across Puget Sound were raided by the FBI on the morning of August 28, including at least one home in West Seattle near Camp Long.

Dietrich said she was unable to comment further at the time (11 a.m.), other than to say the operation was part of the FBI's Seattle Safe Streets Task Force that "works to identify, disrupt, and dismantle existing and emerging violent criminal enterprises and gangs in King County, as well as other individuals and groups whose criminal activity negatively impacts the Puget Sound area," according to an FBI website.

This story will be updated.