November 12, 2015

Seattle Safe Streets Task Force Arrests Nine in Central District Investigation

The FBI Seattle Safe Streets Task Force, ATF Puget Sound Crime Gun Taskforce, and Seattle Police Department officers and detectives arrested nine people Wednesday as part of an operation aimed at disrupting the gun and drug trade and associated gun violence in Seattle’s Central District.

The team of joint investigators focused its operation around 23rd Avenue and E. Union Street in Seattle. Investigators found ongoing narcotics activity and identified a hierarchy of distributors.

The investigation led the task force to serve a warrant Wednesday at a home in the 3000 block of Harris Place South, two blocks from a Beacon Hill elementary school. At the home, the task force recovered cocaine, approximately $22,000 in cash, an assault rifle, and a vehicle and detained resident Dion White, 40, on probable cause related to violation of the uniform controlled substance act (VUCSA) and violation of the uniform firearms act (VUFA).

A second warrant on a home in the 25000 block of 131st Place Southeast in Kent, WA led law enforcement officials to seize cocaine, a handgun, and cash. Task force members later arrested Johnny Marshall, 34, on probable cause related to VUCSA/VUFA. Marshall is associated with the home but was located in West Seattle.

As a result of the operation, six additional men and one woman are also facing local charges, including:

  • Cornielous Morris, 31, arrested for robbery
  • Roman Allah, 24, arrested for a narcotics violation
  • Sandy Varavongsa , 27, arrested for her involvement as Allah’s driver during narcotics purchases
  • Robert Mitchell, 43, arrested for a narcotics violation
  • Leonidis Major, 28, arrested for possession of stolen property
  • Edmund Cummings, 55, arrested for a Washington State Department of Corrections warrant

Members of the task force also re-booked Derrick Whitner, 22, already housed the at King County Regional Justice Center, for an additional firearms violation

The Seattle Safe Streets Task Force is still investigating the case and attempting to locate several other individuals identified in the operation. The Seattle Safe Streets Task Force includes members from the FBI, SPD, and other law enforcement agencies. The Seattle Police Department Major Crimes Task Force, Gangs, Narcotics, and SWAT units played a significant role in the investigation and serving of the warrants.