SEATTLE – The last federal defendant arrested during Operation New Day, which targeted the open-air drug market at 12th and Jackson and 3rd and Pine in 2023, has been sentenced to five years in prison. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced that 56-year-old Cuong Quoc Cao was found guilty of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Agents photographed Cao making hand-to-hand drug sales of fentanyl, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and heroin while armed with a pistol. His arrest is part of a larger effort that has so far resulted in the federal convictions of six defendants.

“Operation New Day was a proactive measure to dismantle drug trafficking networks that have plagued our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge David Reames. “By targeting individuals who are at the forefront of these illegal activities, we hope to create a safer environment for residents.”

This crackdown is a precursor to the recently announced Operation Red Rose, which was detailed during a press conference in June. The DEA, in collaboration with Seattle Police, traced a street-level purchase of methamphetamine back to the Sinaloa cartel and further to drug suppliers in Colombia.

DEA and SPD executed search warrants in Western Washington simultaneously with the operation in Colombia. A video released by the General of the Colombian National Police showcased the operation’s success in taking down producers, distributors, retailers, and money launderers.

“Here in Western Washington especially, we’re focused on the Sinoloa cartel’s connection to the fentanyl and methamphetamine traffickers,” said Reames. “Not a week goes by when we don’t seize multiple pounds of highly pure methamphetamine.”

In terms of impact, the King County overdose deaths data dashboard indicates a slight decline in fatalities this year, with 650 people having died from drug overdoses compared to 801 during the same timeframe last year. 

Some would credit the increased availability of Narcan to treat overdoses as one reason for fewer deaths.

Reames also said that by ripping out the drug pipeline by the root, it creates an ebb in the flow of drugs to Western Washington.

“Hopefully, it makes it harder for a period of time so they can reevaluate their circumstances and maybe get help, maybe stop needing drugs in the future,” he said.

One recent concern is the increase in overdose deaths related to cocaine mixed with fentanyl. “If you put fentanyl, which is highly addictive, into cocaine, you are going to get a user addicted to that source,” he explained. “It could be as simple as that.”

The DEA in Seattle is also observing a rise in the trafficking of fentanyl powder, which poses greater risks as it can be easily mixed with other drugs, making them more lethal. 

“I’ve been doing this 26 years and this is the most frightening thing I’ve seen,”  he said. “With powder fentanyl we are seeing purities rising into the 80 and 90 percent in which 2 milligrams is a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.”

Reames recently presented “What Every City Leader Needs to Know About Fentanyl”, a version of the One Pill Can Kill Presentation, to mayors and city leaders from throughout Washington state at the Association of Washington Cities Conference in Vancouver, Washington. 

He says the DEA in Seattle has launched a new outreach program called Operation Engage, which aims to educate communities about the dangers of drug use.

DEA Agents and outreach specialists will be visiting schools, tribal communities, and local events. A notable event will feature the DEA’s Hummer, seized from a drug dealer and wrapped with a “One Pill Can Kill” message, at Liberty Park in Renton on August 18.

As the community continues to battle the effects of the opioid crisis, officials emphasize the importance of education and prevention in reducing drug-related harm.

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SEATTLE – A controversial exhibit intended to highlight the struggles of Black, Asian and Jewish communities in Seattle is expected to open to the public next month.

A press release from the Washington State Jewish Historical Society says it will no longer present the Confronting Hate Together (CHT) exhibit with original co-creators the Black Heritage Society of Washington State and the Wing Luke Museum, but will instead partner with the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle to host a special event next month to show the exhibit to “the Jewish community alongside our friends and allies.”

The original CHT exhibit opened at the Wing Luke Museum back in May but was met with backlash, leading to 26 staff members going on strike.

Social media accounts and an online fundraiser on behalf of protesting staff accused the exhibit of conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism.

The Wing Luke Museum was temporarily closed for a week but has since reopened.

Stephan Mclean, Senior Director of Strategic Communications for the Wing Luke Museum, confirmed the museum is no longer part of the next phase for CHT.

“It is an unfortunate circumstance that we were unable to continue with this project,” said Mclean. “This is something the Jewish Historical Society wanted to move forward with in a timeline, despite our best efforts, just were not able to make.”

A message on the Wing Luke Museum says:

“The Wing Luke Museum wishes the Washington State Jewish Historical Society well in moving forward with the Confronting Hate Together exhibit.

We regret that the partnership was not able to move forward, though we invested ourselves diligently in the process.

We extend our immense gratitude to the Washington State Jewish Historical Society and the Black Heritage Society of Washington State for their partnership.”

Stephanie Johnson-Toliver, President of the Black Heritage Society of Washington State sent this message to FOX 13 Seattle:

“BHS is a trusted and respected cultural stakeholder that came as a willing partner to CHT to encourage understanding for one another as all communities are touched by harms that cannot be measured one against the other.”

In a post dated August 12, 2024, Johnson-Toliver posted a more detailed response to the next phase of CHT:

As of Wednesday night, Lisa Kranseler, Executive Director for the WA state Jewish Historical Society, was not available to speak with FOX 13 Seattle.

An online version of CHT can be accessed here on the WA state Jewish Historical Society website.

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All it took was one preseason game for Seattle Seahawks rookie defensive lineman Byron Murphy II to get attention on a national scale.

Insider: Seahawks have an unheralded DB who could break out

Murphy, the Seahawks’ top pick and the first defensive player taken in the 2024 NFL Draft at No. 16 overall out of Texas, had a number of NFL insiders shouting him out early this week after making his on-field debut in Seattle’s 16-3 preseason win over the Los Angeles Chargers last Saturday.

On social media, there was this post from the NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah that served as a warning for the Seahawks’ division rivals.

PSA for NFC West teams- You better have a plan for blocking Byron Murphy II. He’s going to be a big problem. Exceptional Quicks, leverage and power.

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) August 13, 2024

Then on TV there was Marcus Spears, a former NFL defensive end who now regularly appears on ESPN’s NFL Live, Get Up! and First Take programs.

“Byron Murphy, the defensive lineman for Seattle, was physical. Getting into the backfield, making negative plays, being super active and pushing the pocket into the lap of the quarterback,” Spears said. “… His cat quickness is something that we talked about pre-draft… The ability to stay tight and be strong and dynamic on the interior of the pocket reminds me a lot of what Christian Wilkins did in Miami. It just kept coming to my mind is that is how Christian Wilkins plays. He’s active and always around the football.”

After hearing Spears’ comments, Seattle Sports’ Michael Bumpus – himself a former NFL wide receiver – used them as a way to explain how the 6-foot, 306-pound Murphy will help the Seahawks’ defense.

“He’s not gonna be the guy like (Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle) Chris Jones, I think, to get 10-plus sacks and wow you like that,” Bumpus said on Tuesday’s edition of Bump and Stacy. “You’re only going to have about two interior defensive linemen a year kind of play to that level. That’s not what you need him to do. You need him to do exactly what Marcus Spears described – get into the backfield and collapse the pocket, because once you have pressure up the middle, now these quarterbacks have to do what? Escape outside. You got Uchenna (Nwosu) waiting on one side, got Boye (Mafe) waiting on the other side. … His job is to create sacks for the other guys. (And) if he ends up getting sacks himself, then good for him.”

Combining Murphy with Macdonald

Next, Bumpus and his co-host Stacy Rost listened to what Mina Kimes had to say on the ESPN airwaves about Murphy, which included a comparison to a player who new Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald helped in his previous role as Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator.

“I absolutely loved what I saw out of him,” Kimes said. “The power that he’s able to generate with his lower half, getting low against those double teams, the agility… I’m so curious to see how Mike Macdonald deploys him. You remember Justin Madubuike having his career year last year in Baltimore. I would not be surprised if we see really good production from Byron Murphy II in Year 1 because he seems to have that special talent.”

Bumpus dove further into how Macdonald’s defensive scheme could mean big things with Murphy in the mix.

“When we talk about defensive line, (Macdonald) knows how to maximize them, he knows how to create these matchups and these illusions for the offensive line that allow guys like Byron Murphy to maybe slip through the cracks and cause chaos in the backfield,” Bumpus said. “So when you have a track record of producing one of the best defenses of all-time – like, I don’t think people realize how good that defense was with Baltimore… his experience with these type of players is what really gets me excited about Byron Murphy. Not only Byron Murphy, but (Jarran) Reed, Leonard Williams – I mean, there are a bunch of guys here who can benefit from Mike Macdonald.

“Experience is everything. He knows how to use them and he knows how to coach them up. He’s a linebacker coach at heart so he spends a lot of time with these defensive linemen. I see nothing but good coming from the situation.”

Bump and Stacy airs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports. Listen to the full conversation about Byron Murphy II in the middle segment of the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post.

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Follow @BrentStecker