Pierce County couple sentenced for leading interstate drug-trafficking operation
A Steilacoom couple was sentenced for their leadership in a drug-trafficking scheme in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on July 2, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Jesse James Bailey, 40, received 17.5 years in prison, and his wife, Candace Bailey, 43, was sentenced to five years, both in connection with the Aryan Family prison gang.
The FBI led the investigation, collaborating with the Washington State Department of Corrections, the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and more organizations, according to the news release.
The Baileys met when Candace was a prison guard and Jesse was a prisoner, serving time for firing at police officers during a high-speed chase.
This couple was responsible for equally overseeing the drug operation, according to the news release.
“The Baileys were at the top of the drug conspiracy pyramid, selling multi-pound quantities of meth and fentanyl to heavily armed members of their drug ring,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthey Miller in the news release.
Twenty-four people, including the Baileys, were arrested on May 22, 2023, in a planned take-down. The FBI discovered “177 firearms, over ten kilograms of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills, more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin and more than $330,000 in cash from eighteen locations in Washington and Arizona,” according to the release.
Jesse Bailey pleaded guilty to “possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and conspiracy to commit money laundering,” in November 2024, according to the news release.
Candace Bailey pleaded guilty to “possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and conspiracy to commit money laundering,” the release stated.
The Baileys must forfeit almost $700,0000, over 40 firearms, expensive jewelry, ammunition, body armor, silencers, tripods and scopes that they stored and distributed, the news release stated.
“The amount of money and the sheer volume of weapons seized in this case shows how dangerous this group was to the whole Puget Sound region, and I am proud of the work of our team to stop this hate-fueled, violent drug ring,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division, in the news release.
