Bond Hearing Set in Tacoma Federal Court
A U.S. District Judge in Tacoma will address arguments Thursday regarding whether a man indicted alongside a former Clallam County Drug Court Coordinator should be detained or released for substance abuse treatment. U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright is scheduled to review the motion at 2:30 p.m. July 16. The hearing will proceed with no deference to the earlier decision by Magistrate Judge Grassy J. Leupold, who ordered the defendant detained on June 15.
Defense counsel contends that the magistrate’s order acknowledged the defendant successfully rebutted the presumption of detention but concluded that no conditions could adequately mitigate the danger to the community.
Indictment Details
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against two men on June 10. The defendant faces three counts stemming from a March drug operation at the 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn. The charges include possessing 40 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possessing a Glock 48 9mm pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The drug distribution count carries a five-year mandatory minimum sentence. The firearm-in-furtherance charge adds a consecutive mandatory five-year term.
Alleged Conduct
According to government accounts, detectives monitoring a March 12 warrant operation observed the defendant moving a distinctive red backpack from a casino hotel room to a Lexus parked outside. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed the backpack, which contained 43.67 grams of fentanyl as verified by state crime lab testing, along with a scale, drug paraphernalia, and the handgun.
Defense counsel notes that no drugs or firearms were found on the defendant’s person at the casino and that the Lexus did not belong to him.
Bond Arguments
In a motion filed June 29, Assistant Federal Public Defender John R. Carpenter requested that the 44-year-old defendant be released to a 30-to-45-day inpatient program at American Behavioral Health Services. The request also includes placement in sober housing through the state’s Housing and Essential Needs Referral Program following treatment.
The motion outlines a history of methamphetamine use beginning at age 14, periods of homelessness due to addiction, and a desire to maintain sobriety for his four-year-old son.
Carpenter contrasted the detention request with the release of a co-defendant, noting that the co-defendant was released on bond June 10 despite being linked to 680 grams of drugs—more than 13 times the amount attributed to the defendant—and allegedly possessing a firearm and drugs at the time of arrest. The defense cites a court minute order indicating the government did not seek detention for the co-defendant. The government’s July 6 response states prosecutors moved to detain both men at their June 5 initial appearances.
The defense further argues that the defendant’s only violent felony convictions date back 20 to 23 years, and recent legal issues are largely addiction-related misdemeanors. The complaint does not allege that the defendant threatened anyone or displayed a firearm.
“Mr. Karns could provide a similar success story, if granted the opportunity,” Carpenter wrote, referencing a prior case where a defendant facing drug and gun charges succeeded while on pretrial release.
Prosecution Response
In a July 6 filing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elyne Vaught argued that the charges trigger a presumption of detention and that all factors under the Bail Reform Act support incarceration. Prosecutors emphasized the lethality of fentanyl and the danger of allegedly trafficking drugs while armed at a busy casino. The government also cited cellphone records purportedly showing the defendant discussing drug transactions with potential customers.
Prosecutors have argued that the state should hold the defense accountable for its failure to monitor a defendant’s compliance history. The legal brief submitted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Sarah Vaught highlights that the suspect, identified as a Sequim man, was serving a probationary term stemming from a 2023 conviction for violating a protection order in Port Orchard Municipal Court when the alleged crimes occurred.
According to the filing, the defendant had already breached his probation terms on two separate occasions. Additionally, a bench warrant was issued on Feb. 17, 2026, for his failure to appear at a scheduled review hearing. This warrant remained active until less than four weeks prior to the incident involving the casino operation. The prosecution further noted that a domestic violence protection order, valid through 2028, was in effect at the time.
Vaught criticized the proposed release strategy as lacking sufficient provisions for post-treatment care. She stated in the document that the individual’s criminal background indicated a clear inability to adhere to conditions set by the court.
The state’s March investigation also led to charges against a Clallam County man, Dylan C. Marsh-Backs. He was recently sentenced in Clallam County Superior Court to five years of incarceration for possession of fentanyl with the intent to deliver it.
Both co-defendants, including the Sequim man and a Port Angeles woman, have entered not guilty pleas. A jury trial is currently scheduled for Aug. 17 before Judge Cartwright.