News Release [print friendly page]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 25, 2009
Contact: Jodie Underwood
Number: (206) 553-5443

Renton Man Sentenced to 15+ Years in Cocaine Distribution
Repeat Drug Offender Arrested with Over $500,000 & 15 Kilos of Cocaine

AUG 25 -- ( Seattle) – DEA Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Arnold R. Moorin and the United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, Jeffrey Sullivan, announced that Darryl Shears, 44, was sentenced on August 14, 2009 to 15 years and eight months in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Shears was arrested in September 2008, as part of a year-long investigation involving a drug trafficking organization operating in Seattle, Washington and Rexburg, Idaho. During September 2008, law enforcement seized 20 kilograms of cocaine, 16 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately $940,000 in cash, and numerous cars and boats. Of these totals, 15 kilograms of cocaine were taken from a juvenile leaving Shears’ residence, and more than $515,000 was taken from Shears and a woman leaving his residence.

According to records filed in the case, Shears has a lengthy criminal history including five prior drug convictions. In January 2008, Shears was identified in another drug investigation as the powder and crack cocaine supplier to members in the Piper/Kilcup drug ring. On the day of Shears arrest, he had just received 15 kilograms of cocaine from a woman in exchange for $244,460. Shears attempted to avoid arrest by giving the drugs to a juvenile and telling him to take the drugs away from his home. The juvenile and woman who supplied the cocaine were also arrested. Following the arrests, Shears attempted to tamper with the testimony of the juvenile and others, by sending letters and asking the witnesses to lie under oath. Shears pleaded guilty on the eve of his jury trial.

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 was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Seattle Police Department and the King County Sheriff’s Office.