Oregon — Federal law enforcement agencies executed coordinated search and arrest warrants at 17 locations across Washington, Oregon, and California on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, arresting 14 people following a lengthy wiretap investigation into a drug and gun trafficking organization linked to the Black Gangster Disciples street gang.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. According to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd, the investigation identified Kevin Salgado, 27, of Puyallup, Washington, as the alleged leader of the organization.
Prosecutors allege Salgado oversaw the manufacturing and distribution of counterfeit oxycodone and Xanax pills, as well as fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Investigators say members of the organization also trafficked firearms and machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as Glock switches, and discussed trading drugs for weapons.
“The defendants allegedly engaged in a wide range of criminal conduct, from pressing narcotic pills to trafficking firearms and machinegun conversion devices,” Floyd said. Authorities have linked at least three overdose deaths to drugs allegedly distributed by Salgado.
The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations, with significant involvement from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and multiple state and local police departments.
Searches conducted throughout the investigation resulted in the seizure of at least 38 firearms prior to Wednesday’s operation, nine of which were equipped with machinegun conversion devices. An additional 39 firearms and more than 100 Glock switches were seized on February 4 alone. Investigators also recovered large quantities of narcotics, including fentanyl pills and powder, methamphetamine, cocaine, counterfeit oxycodone, oxycodone tablets, and Xanax pills.
Court documents further allege that some defendants hacked drug distribution companies to divert shipments of controlled substances, while others paid kickbacks to a pharmacist in Oregon to fill fraudulent prescriptions. One defendant, Isaac Briones, was arrested in June 2025 while allegedly attempting to pick up a fraudulent prescription in Davenport, Washington.
Officials said the case highlights the intersection of drug trafficking, firearms violence, and organized gang activity. “This operation represents what is possible when agencies collaborate,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais.
All defendants are charged by indictment. The allegations have not been proven, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The investigation is part of the federal Homeland Security Task Force initiative, a multi-agency effort aimed at dismantling violent criminal organizations operating across state and national borders.
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