SEATTLE — A well-known Seattle activist has been accused of being a part of a fentanyl trafficking ring that spans multiple states.
INDICTMENT:
The Department of Justice indicted Marty Jackson for money laundering. Other members of her family were indicted on drug trafficking charges.
Marty Jackson is the former executive director of SE Network SafetyNet, a program that partners with the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County to help curb youth violence.
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB:
A leader of the Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club on Martin Luther King Jr. Way S in Seattle, where SE Network SafetyNet is located, according to the program’s social media page, told KIRO 7 News that they have parted ways with Jackson as of Thursday.
The organization declined to talk on camera, but shared the following statement.
“The safety and protection of the young people we serve, and our dedicated staff is always our absolute highest priority, and we take any situation that might impact their well-being very seriously. Boys & Girls Clubs of King County has learned of the arrest of Marty Jackson. Upon learning this information, our organization has taken corrective action. We will cooperate fully with authorities and have also launched an internal investigation to ensure the ongoing safety of Club members and staff.
Boys & Girls Clubs of King County is committed to the highest standards of ethical behavior and integrity and does not tolerate inappropriate or illegal activity on the part of any staff member, volunteer, or youth member. All employees must undergo a thorough criminal background check prior to hire and annually, and all supervisory procedures are designed to ensure the maximum safety and protection of Club members and staff.
As this is an active investigation, we are unable to offer further comment. Our commitment to our Club members, their families, and our community is unwavering.”
KIRO 7 News interviewed Jackson last year in August as she spoke about preventing gun violence during a press conference.
“Our community has felt troubled. We’ve been traumatized by not everything that’s taken place in our neighborhood, but the traumatic events that have taken place all over the City of Seattle,” Jackson said in 2023.
We also reached out to the SE Network SafetyNet and Marty Jackson to get a response, however, we’re still waiting to hear back.
“Right now, I’m not too concerned. People are responsible. They do take care of our kids. I think that I trust them right now,” said Aashish Ramdas, whose daughter attends the Boys & Girls Club. “Kudos to the Boys & Girls club for taking action when they did find out. That’s good enough.”
However, other parents felt differently, including Roderick Story, a father of three who lives near the center.
“We’re literally two blocks away from that. And knowing that something as small as a trace on someone’s hands or pants, especially if the drug itself is coming in and out of the actual Boys & Girls Club, that’s extremely concerning,” he said. “Hundreds of kids in and out of there every day. Something like that kind of happening right under our nose is a shock.”
Story added that he understands one person’s actions do not reflect an entire organization.
COURT DOCUMENTS:
Court documents connected 14 people to the drug ring, which investigators said targeted tribal communities. Authorities said the ring distributed massive quantities of fentanyl to members of the Lummi Nation and other reservations, leading to lethal overdoses.
Agents also confiscated 29 guns and at least $116,000 in cash.
Ten other people are in custody in the case.
Marty Jackson was released on bond.
CITY OF SEATTLE:
KIRO 7 News reached out to the Seattle Mayor’s Office to learn more about the city’s involvement with the program, including any funding the program receives from taxpayers.
The mayor’s office declined our interview request, but said the City provides more than $3 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, with more than $2 million for programming that may overlap with services provided by SE Network SafetyNet.
“Since at least 2015, the City of Seattle’s contracts with Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, as well as contracts with similar organizations, contain strong safeguards and reporting requirements to prevent financial malfeasance. We will ensure those were followed in light of these allegations,” the office wrote in a statement.
The mayor’s office added, “After learning of these indictments, our office immediately contacted the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County and convened a meeting to understand their intended next steps and gather any additional relevant information as to how these allegations might affect their operations as a service provider.”