Seattle woman with prior murder conviction, sentenced to seven years in prison for armed drug dealing

Seattle – A Seattle-area woman, whose life has been marked by abuse and addiction, was sentenced August 15, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Seattle to seven years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Raven Marlyne Hudson, 39, pleaded guilty in May 2023, to drug trafficking and using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. She was arrested in July 2022, in Seattle’s University District, after she rammed a law enforcement vehicle while trying to avoid arrest. In her car, law enforcement found a variety of illegal drugs and two firearms – one of them stolen. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said of the offense, “It was terrible… after 16 and a half years in jail and less than six months later you are doing serious drug dealing…. And ramming the cars is just not something we can tolerate.”

“Ms. Hudson’s history of childhood abuse and abandonment no doubt played a role in her drug addiction and criminal conduct,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “It is our hope that the drug treatment in federal prison and the close monitoring and supportive services while on federal supervised release will make a difference and lead to a productive future for Ms. Hudson and her family.”

According to records filed in the case, in early 2022, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) agents and Seattle Police Narcotics Detectives began investigating Hudson as a significant drug dealer in the Seattle area. In June, a person working with law enforcement ordered fentanyl pills from Hudson. Following that drug sale, law enforcement surveilled Hudson’s activities, seeing her move around to high-frequency drug trafficking areas. On July 12, 2022, agents and officers blocked Hudson’s car as she parked in Seattle’s University District. Hudson rammed one of the HSI vehicles before ultimately being removed from her car and arrested.

When investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant on Hudson’s car, they recovered more than 600 grams of methamphetamine, more than 118 grams of fentanyl powder, about 6,700 fentanyl pills, plus heroin and cocaine. Two Glock firearms were in the car. One of the Glocks was reported stolen, the other had a 25-round extended capacity magazine. Both guns were loaded with a round chambered.

Hudson cannot legally possess firearms due to prior convictions. In 2006 she was convicted in Kitsap County of Second-Degree Murder and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Hudson was released from state custody on the murder conviction in January 2022.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Seattle Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.