Sureno Street Gang Member Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Justin Mark Mullenix, age 35, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty on March 13, 2019, to Conspiracy to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Mullenix to a 17-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.

According to information disclosed during court proceedings, Mullenix, a Sureno criminal street gang member, had been released back to Spokane from Washington State prison after serving a term of incarceration for a conviction for Attempted First Degree Assault. The prior conviction arose from an incident where Mullenix shot an individual he believed to be a police informant during a drug deal. After being released from state prison, and while on state court supervision, Mullenix chose to re-engage in significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking with other Sureno gang members. In sentencing Mullenix, Judge Rice noted Mullenix’s lengthy history of committing violence in the community, which included multiple previous serious assault and drug trafficking convictions.

United States Attorney Hyslop said “This case is a prime example why the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington continues to prioritize prosecution of gang-related drug trafficking. I commend the outstanding work of the law enforcement officers with the Spokane Police Department, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area who investigated this case. Their seamless partnership resulted in the removal of a recidivist drug trafficker from our community.”

Spokane Police Department Captain Brad Arleth stated that “The Spokane Police Department Investigative Division would like to thank our federal partners for the hard work they put in to the investigation and prosecution of this case. We will continue to work together to reduce the flow of drugs and the violence associated with their distribution, to make our community safer.”

This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.

This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Spokane Police Department, and the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. This case was prosecuted by Caitlin Baunsgard, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.