Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Both defendants illegally possessed multiple firearms; One defendant involved in August 2023 deadly hookah bar shooting
Seattle – Two Seattle area men who were significant members of a violent drug trafficking organization were each sentenced to six years in prison today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Khaliil Ahmed, aka “Bossup,” 27, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for two counts of illegally possessing firearms. Yohannes Wondimagegnehu, aka “Jon,” 36, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. To each defendant U.S. District Judge John H. Chun noted that, “These are serious offenses.” To Ahmed Judge Chun added, “These offenses carry a maximum of 15 years – serious stuff.” Judge Chun ordered that each man serve three years of supervised release following prison.
Over the course of the year-long investigation law enforcement seized more than 19 kg of fentanyl, 12 firearms, and more than $130,000 in cash. In the arrest operation targeting the group in October 2024, law enforcement seized over 50 firearms to include fully automatic weapons and handguns with Glock switches; thousands of rounds of ammunition, including high-capacity drum magazines, and armor-piercing rounds; several hundred thousand dollars of bulk cash and jewelry; 1 kilogram of fentanyl and 4 kilograms of cocaine.
Each of the defendants sentenced today played different roles in the drug trafficking conspiracy. Khaliil Ahmed, of Kent, Washington, was identified as a member of a drug trafficking conspiracy. One of the charges relates to guns he possessed on August 20, 2023, at the time of a fatal shooting at a hookah bar in South Seattle. Ahmed was injured in the shooting and three others were killed. Ahmed was also involved in a shooting on May 4, 2024, at a First Hill neighborhood apartment. Surveillance video captured Ahmed pointing a gun at the victim. Ahmed is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2022 conviction for illegally possessing and publicly discharging a firearm in a drive-by shooting. When law enforcement served search warrants in this case, they seized two additional Glock firearms from Ahmed’s residence.
Yohannes Wondimagegnehu, aka “Jon,” was identified as a member of the conspiracy and helped to staff an apartment on the edge of Seattle’s University District that was a known drug distribution location. One of the leaders of the conspiracy was gunned down at that location in June 2024. Nevertheless, Wondimagegnehu continued to distribute drugs from that location after the fatal shooting. The murder is still under investigation.
When law enforcement searched Wondimagegnehu’s residence on October 30, 2024, they found eight firearms, various narcotics and drug proceeds. Wondimagegnehu also had a money counting machine for handling his drug proceeds.
In all 14 defendants were arrested in connection with this drug trafficking organization and these are the first two to be sentenced. Seven additional defendants have pleaded guilty and have sentencing hearings in the months ahead. One defendant remains a fugitive. Trial for the lead defendant Ali Kuyateh, aka “Pops,” 50, of Seattle, is expected to be continued to the spring of 2026.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .
This investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with significant participation by Seattle Police Department (SPD), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington State Patrol (WSP), FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Border Patrol, the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Bellevue Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Everett Police Department, Renton Police Department, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Washington State National Guard, Washington State Gambling Commission, Yakima County Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D) Narcotics and Gang Task Force, and Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Jensen and Joseph Silvio.