State defense attorney facing federal charges for role in Seattle jail-smuggling plot

SEATTLE — A state defense attorney pleaded not guilty in federal court Monday after being accused of being a part of a Seattle jail-smuggling plot.

Robert Trisotto, assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Oregon, acting as special attorney for the Western District of Washington, filed charges against John Sheeran, 60, of Pierce County, for his role in a criminal conspiracy to sneak drugs into the King County Correctional Facility, when he visited his clients, according to a press release from the U.S. State’s Attorney’s Office District of Oregon Tuesday evening.

Sheeran is facing conspiring to distribute controlled substances, possessing and distributing methamphetamine, distributing buprenorphine and illegally using a communication facility. If convicted, Sheeran could spend up to 20 years in federal prison, at least three years supervised release and a $1 million fine.

According to the indictment, Sheeran smuggled drugs into the jail as an attorney while visiting two of his clients. He provided drugs to his clients and other inmates at KCCF including sheets of paper that had been soaked in drugs, chewing tobacco cans that swapped out the tobacco with drugs and trial clothes that had drugs concealed in the soles of the shoes, according to the press release.

Once Sheeran provided the drugs to his clients, they would sell them to other inmates.

On Oct. 16, a federal grand jury in Seattle indicted Sheeran, charging him and four co-conspirators involved in the jail-smuggling plot. Sheeran was arrested Monday without incident in Washington Place.

In court Monday, Sheeran was ordered to be released pending a trial set for Dec. 20.

The case was investigated by the FBI and King County Sheriff’s Office.

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