A 39-year-old Newcastle, Washington man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison for his leadership role as a supplier and distributor of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl in Seattle's homeless encampments and International District, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington said.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice

Tommy Pham sold fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine directly and to distributors who then sold drugs to people residing in 'The Jungle,' a homeless encampment under I-5 near Seattle's International District, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. U.S. District Judge Tana Lin imposed the sentence, and the court also imposed five years of supervised release, according to reporting on the sentencing.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice

'This is not Mr. Pham's first federal drug conviction and prison sentence,' Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd said, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. 'A three-year federal prison sentence did not deter his drug dealing or his illegal possession of high-powered firearms to protect his drug business.' Pham pleaded guilty in February 2026.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice

The investigation began in November 2023, when the Seattle Police Department, FBI and DEA targeted a drug ring working the International District, Seattle Red reported, citing court records. In December 2024, Pham was found slumped in his car with a loaded 9mm Glock 19, ammunition, methamphetamine and cash, and agents seized 17 firearms during January 2025 arrests, five of them from Pham's home and vehicle, Seattle Red reported.

Source: Seattle Red