Kitsap Man Sentenced to Five Years for Fentanyl Distribution

A 36-year-old Kitsap County resident received a five-year prison term Thursday after admitting to charges of possessing fentanyl for distribution. The sentencing concluded a Clallam County prosecution that originated during a drug enforcement operation at the 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn in March.

The defendant entered a guilty plea July 9 in Clallam County Superior Court, admitting to possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. Judge Elizabeth Stanley imposed the sentence the same day, ordering 60 months on the drug charge—the maximum under standard sentencing guidelines—along with a concurrent 16-month term for the firearm offense. Court minutes indicate the sentence aligned with an agreement reached by prosecutors and the defense.

Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Michele Devlin represented the state, while Jesse Williams served as defense counsel.

The charges arose from a two-day initiative by the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET). On March 11, deputies detained two individuals at a rental property in the Agnew area, including Johnny Watts, a former coordinator for Clallam County’s adult and juvenile drug courts. Authorities reported recovering a loaded firearm and suspected contraband from him at the time.

According to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation revealed that a group of Kitsap County residents lodging at the 7 Cedars Casino was distributing controlled substances within Clallam County. The following day, OPNET detectives, assisted by local police and casino security personnel, encountered the group at the venue and took the defendant into custody.

Officials reported that he was carrying 196.37 grams of fentanyl prepared for sale, along with a scale, packaging supplies, and two loaded pistol magazines. A subsequent search of his vehicle, authorized by warrant, yielded a .45-caliber handgun and ammunition.

Because of previous felony convictions, the defendant was legally barred from owning firearms. Records show prior convictions in Kitsap County for possessing heroin with intent to deliver in 2014, unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree in 2025, and first-degree trafficking in stolen property in 2009.

During the 48-hour operation, OPNET seized approximately 262 grams of suspected fentanyl, over 515 grams of suspected methamphetamine, roughly 30 grams of suspected cocaine, 147 Suboxone strips, 10 firearms, and nearly $19,000 in cash.

Following his release on $250,000 bail in the Clallam County matter, the defendant was apprehended days later in Kitsap County, where he now faces two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. He has entered a not guilty plea in that case, which remains pending with a trial scheduled for Aug. 31.

Watts and Jonathan Karns, another individual detained during the casino operation, were later charged in federal court. Clallam County dropped its charges against Watts in June after federal authorities assumed prosecution. Both men pleaded not guilty during initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Tacoma.

At the sentencing hearing, the court determined that substance use issues played a role in the offenses. Upon release, he will serve 12 months of community custody, which includes completing a substance use disorder evaluation, adhering to prescribed treatment, and avoiding the 7 Cedars Casino and Hotel.

Marsh-Backs must register as a felony firearm offender for a four-year period and submit a DNA sample as part of his sentencing. The court determined he qualifies as indigent, resulting in a full waiver of all legal financial obligations.

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