BURIEN FELON SENTENCED TO 13 YEAR PRISON TERM FOR DEALING CRACK COCAINE
Man Had Just Completed 10 Year State Prison Sentence When He Sold Crack to Undercover Informant
MARTINEZ KILGORE, 32, of Burien, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 13 years in prison and 5 years of supervised release for Possession of Crack Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. KILGORE was arrested after selling crack cocaine to an undercover informant. He had been released from prison only a few months before after serving a 10 year sentence. At KILGORE’s Burien apartment investigators found four firearms. As a convicted felon, KILGORE was barred from possessing firearms. At sentencing U.S. District Judge Ricardo Martinez urged KILGORE to use his time in prison “making himself a better person,” through education, training and other rehabilitation programs.
According to documents filed in the case, in November 2006, KILGORE agreed to sell an undercover informant crack cocaine at a fast food restaurant in south King County. The undercover informant was co-operating with King County Sheriff’s detectives. KILGORE was arrested at the restaurant. When officers searched KILGORE’s Burien apartment they found a scale with suspected drug residue and thousands of dollars in cash. They also found four firearms: a .22 caliber revolver; a loaded .380 semiautomatic pistol; a loaded .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol; and a loaded .38 caliber revolver. KILGORE has prior convictions for drug possession, assault, burglary, reckless endangerment and robbery.
KILGORE pleaded guilty March 28, 2007, agreeing to the lengthy 13 year prison term.
KILGORE was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program. Unveiled by President George W. Bush in May 2001, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a comprehensive and strategic approach to gun law enforcement. PSN is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in America by networking both new and existing local programs that target gun crime and then providing them with the resources and tools they need to succeed. Implementation at the local level -- in this case in King County -- has fostered close partnerships between federal, state and local prosecutors and law enforcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Violent Gang Task Force, in conjunction with the King County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Andy Colasurdo. Mr. Colasurdo is a Deputy King County Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute gun cases in federal court.
For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110.
