SPOKANE, Wash. — A Spokane man pled guilty to robbing a drug trafficking organization and possessing a large amount of deadly drugs.
According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 34-year-old Brady Baughman pleaded guilty to one count of Robbery Affecting Commerce and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute 30 Grams or More of Fentanyl.
Baughman robbed a drug trafficking organization on Feb. 6, 2022, after they refused to accept $12,000 counterfeit U.S. dollars to pay for methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the suspect stashed the drugs in a kitty litter bucket and a backpack before speeding off in his car with the stolen drugs.
Members of the drug trafficking organization found Baughman at the intersection of Nettleton and Rowan and fired several shots at his car. SPD later discovered that the suspect had dropped the stolen drugs off at a parking lot of a nearby business.
Baughman was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. The kitty litter bucket contained around 16 pounds of methamphetamine, and the backpack had 50,441 fentanyl-laced pills. SPD issued a warrant for Baughman’s arrest on August 12, 2022, and soon located the suspect going 55 mph in a 30-mph zone. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, an SPD attempted to pull him over but was forced to abandon his pursuit as the suspect refused to stop.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he crashed his motorcycle a few minutes later and was taken to the hospital for his injuries. SPD found a loaded 9mm pistol and 1,178 fentanyl pills. Baughman fled the medical center after becoming aware he had been indicted and was wanted by law enforcement. Baughman remained a fugitive for almost a year and was arrested on March 28, 2023.
During a search incident to arrest, officers located a blue bottle with 100 fentanyl-laced pills. During a search of the car, SPD found an additional 1,500 fentanyl-laced pills.
“This case is a snapshot of the threats to the community posed by drug traffickers like Mr. Baughman,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “He engaged in reckless and violent behavior, all while trying to poison our community with fentanyl and Methamphetamine for his personal gain. I am proud of the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners in safely bringing this case to a conclusion.”
