SEATTLE — A King County couple was arrested and indicted after sheriff’s deputies discovered a drug lab, machine guns, explosives, and illegal silencers inside their RV.
Both were indicted on Wednesday, May 29 for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and unlawful possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.
28-year-old Braiden F. Wilson was also charged with unlawful possession of destructive devices and unlawful possession of silencers. Wilson and his partner, 30-year-old Chandler B. Bennett, were arrested following a May 12 shooting in rural King County. The U.S. Department of Justice announced they will be arraigned on the grand jury indictment next week.
According to the indictment and the criminal complaint filed in the case, King County Sheriff’s deputies first encountered the couple when Wilson was shot in the arm. The deputies noticed that the RV had surveillance cameras and asked to get access to the recorded video to identify the assailant. Bennett refused to allow the deputies to enter the RV, so they sought a warrant from a King County judge.
When deputies entered the RV, they found a large cache of weapons, fentanyl powder, tablets containing fentanyl, and various items associated with the manufacture of pills. They also found more than two and a half kilograms of fentanyl pills and seventeen firearms, as well as body armor, silencers, and ballistic shields.
Deputies also located gun parts made from 3D printers, making them untraceable. Multiple destructive devices, literature on the chemistry and manufacturing of explosives, and literature on how to convert firearms to fully automatic capability were also found.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with assistance from the Washington State Patrol.
Wilson and Bennet both face a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to life in prison for the possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute charge, as well as serious fines for their crimes.
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