SEATTLE FELON CONVICTED OF METH AND COCAINE DISTRIBUTION
Defendant Tried to Claim He was “Licensed” by Police
TIMOTHY MITCHELL, 54, of Seattle, Washington, was convicted by a jury in U.S. District Court in Seattle late yesterday of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. When sentenced on January 20, 2009, MITCHELL faces a mandatory minimum ten years in prison. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart thanked jurors who deliberated about an hour following a four day trial.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial MITCHELL was arrested May 6, 2008, when he arrived at a Seattle restaurant to deliver cocaine to a source who had previously been arrested by DEA. The DEA confidential source set up the drug deal with MITCHELL following her arrest. MITCHELL initially denied he was at the restaurant to deliver drugs, but later admitted he intended to sell seven ounces of cocaine to the confidential source. The cocaine was located in the car of one of MITCHELL’s associates. A search of MITCHELL’s apartment turned up a scale, baggies, additional cocaine and 11 grams of actual meth. At trial, MITCHELL tried to argue that he was working as a confidential informant for the Seattle Police Department when he was arrested on May 6, 2008. The Seattle Police Detective who had supervised MITCHELL testified at trial that while MITCHELL had previously assisted police as an informant, he was not assisting police in May 2008, or otherwise authorized to sell or possess drugs.
MITCHELL has at least three previous federal drug convictions: one from 1980 for Possession of Amphetamine with Intent to Distribute; 1988 conviction for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; and 1998 conviction for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute and Money Laundering.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Bruce Miyake and Brian Werner.
For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110.
