Tacoma – A high-ranking drug redistributor linked to Aryan prison gangs received an 84-month prison sentence (24 months on count 1 consecutive to 60 months on count 2) for drug and firearm offenses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller.
C’La Morales, 39, of Pierce County, was arrested as part of an extensive investigation into three interconnected drug distribution organizations tied to Aryan prison gangs operating inside and outside state prisons. She was a key associate of Jesse Bailey, the leader of one of the rings, who has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge David Estudillo stated, “You took on the responsibility to distribute large quantities of controlled substances. You had to know those were going to … lead to addiction and wreak havoc for those individuals and their families, friends, and loved ones.”
Drug Trafficking and Firearms Possession
Court records show that Morales was a trusted member of the operation, trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine while possessing multiple firearms. Wiretap evidence revealed she purchased and distributed 10 ounces of heroin and 10,000 fentanyl pills at a time. She was fully aware of the substantial firepower Jesse Bailey maintained to protect his drug trafficking, including fully automatic weapons.
During searches of Morales’ storage locker and vehicle, law enforcement seized:
- 5,815 fentanyl-laced pills fraudulently stamped as prescription Oxycodone
- 480 grams of heroin
- A loaded Mossberg shotgun
- Several boxes of 12-gauge shotgun ammunition
- $5,183 in drug trafficking proceeds
- Additional firearms in her vehicle, including two pistols with loaded magazines found in a lockbox on the floorboard
Prior Drug Trafficking Offenses
Prosecutors, seeking a ten-year sentence, highlighted Morales’ criminal history. “Morales is not new to drug trafficking while armed with firearms. In 2019, she was arrested for drug trafficking while armed, leading to convictions for unlawful possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and unlawful possession of a firearm. She committed the current offenses while on warrant status for the Pierce County drug court program. Despite her clear drug addiction and need for treatment, it is difficult to trust that she will maintain compliance and not return to trafficking controlled substances.”
Following her prison term, Morales will serve five years of supervised release. Her prosecution is one of nearly two dozen tied to this long-term investigation into drug trafficking rings in the South Sound region.
Major Law Enforcement Takedown
On March 22, 2023, law enforcement arrested two dozen individuals on federal charges. The coordinated operation involved ten SWAT teams and over 350 officers, seizing:
- 177 firearms
- Over 10 kilos of methamphetamine
- 11 kilos of fentanyl pills
- More than 1 kilo of fentanyl powder
- 3 kilos of heroin
- Over $330,000 in cash from 18 locations in Washington and Arizona
Earlier in the investigation, authorities confiscated:
- 830,000 fentanyl pills
- 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder
- 223 pounds of methamphetamine
- 3.5 pounds of heroin
- 5 pounds of cocaine
- $388,000 in cash
- 48 firearms
Upcoming Sentencing of Key Figures
Jesse Bailey, the leader of the drug trafficking ring, is scheduled for sentencing on May 16, 2025. His wife and co-conspirator, Candace Bailey, will be sentenced on June 13, 2025.
OCDETF Investigation
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which targets high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The multi-agency effort brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to dismantle these network.
