Seattle, WA. — A 25-year-old Federal Way man accused of leading a drug trafficking organization that transported large quantities of narcotics into Western Washington was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison.
Hector Duran Aldaco, also known as “Jay Thrax,” pleaded guilty in February 2026 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and using a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He was among more than a dozen defendants indicted and arrested in May 2024.
“This was a staggering quantity of controlled substances,” U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson said during the sentencing hearing.
Federal prosecutors said Duran Aldaco’s organization attempted to distribute approximately 85 kilograms of methamphetamine, 30 kilograms of fentanyl and 2.5 kilograms of cocaine. Investigators identified him as a large-scale fentanyl distributor in December 2022.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, Duran Aldaco obtained drugs from a Mexico-based trafficking organization and coordinated their transportation from the Los Angeles area to the Seattle region. Charged and uncharged associates then redistributed the drugs throughout Western Washington.
The organization initially used rental vehicles to transport narcotics but began using intercity buses after law enforcement officers intercepted several shipments, prosecutors said.
Authorities reported multiple seizures connected to the organization:
- In April 2023, the California Highway Patrol seized 47 kilograms of methamphetamine and 115,000 fentanyl pills.
- In June 2023, Oregon State Police seized 28 pounds of methamphetamine.
- In November 2023, Oregon State Police seized 15 kilograms of methamphetamine and 30 kilograms of fentanyl pills.
- In April 2024, Portland police recovered 7.5 kilograms of fentanyl pills allegedly abandoned at a bus station by one of Duran Aldaco’s associates.
Investigators also intercepted conversations in which Duran Aldaco reportedly discussed acquiring firearms and exchanging guns for drugs.
Searches of his residence and storage unit in May 2024 uncovered three firearms, ammunition, body armor, more than $14,000 in cash and jewelry, authorities said. Agents also seized more than three kilograms of methamphetamine, 200 grams of cocaine and over 10 kilograms of marijuana from the storage unit.
The case was investigated by federal, state and local agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Oregon State Police, Portland Police Bureau and California Highway Patrol.
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