ELDON M. MADDEN, age 29, of Tukwila, Washington, was sentenced today to ten years in prison and five years of supervised release by Chief United States District Judge Robert S. Lasnik for Possession with Intent to Distribute five grams or more of Cocaine Base. At sentencing Chief Judge Lasnik found MADDEN was a career offender.

MADDEN pleaded guilty on August 2, 2005, to Possession with Intent to Distribute five grams or more of Cocaine Base. MADDEN was arrested by officers with the King County Sheriff's Office on March 28, 2005, after distributing a quantity of cocaine base in the area of South 146th and Pacific Highway South in Tukwila, Washington. At the time of his arrest, MADDEN was found to be in possession of an additional 45.34 grams of cocaine base.

The matter was referred to the United States Attorney's Office for federal prosecution and MADDEN was arrested on federal charges on May 11, 2005.

In asking for a lengthy sentence Assistant United States Attorney Leonie G.H. Grant noted that MADDEN has ten criminal convictions for crimes ranging from drug dealing to firearms violations to forgery and resisting arrest. MADDEN also "continued to engage in drug trafficking after his initial arrest by local law enforcement officers. Although he was arrested after distributing crack cocaine to a confidential source on March 28, 2005, when he was arrested on the federal complaint less than two months later, officers found an additional 65.8 grams of cocaine base in the motel room he had been occupying prior to his arrest," Grant wrote to the court.

The case was investigated by the King County Sheriff's Office with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Leonie G.H. Grant.

For additional information, please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington, at (206) 553-4110.

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