Yakima, Wash. – Thirteen people are charged following the return of 12 indictments alleging more than a dozen charges against these defendants for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana on the Yakama Nation Reservation. 

The arrests follow a long-term joint federal, local, and tribal investigation that began in late 2024, concluding in June 2025, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Indian Affairs. The investigation targeted violent individuals and armed drug traffickers on the Yakama Nation and in the Yakima Valley with the goal to disrupt drug distributors operation both on and off the reservation. 

“In late 2024, escalating drug-related activity—including opioid trafficking, overdose fatalities, and an alarming number of homicides—prompted the DEA to select the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation for a 120-day drug initiative under DEA Operation Overdrive,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The fentanyl powder and pills that we took off the streets could have yielded about 250-thousand lethal doses, enough to kill everyone living in Yakima County.  Enough to kill every member of the Yakama Nation more than eight times over. “ 

Operation Overdrive is a national, multi-phased program, which targets hot spots where drugs and violent crime are prevalent. The DEA utilizes its full range of data, intelligence, operational resources, and partnerships to combat drug-related violent crime and overdose deaths. The goals of Operation Overdrive are to decrease overdose rates in target areas, decrease gun violence rates, increase community engagement, and remove the drug networks that are causing harm to our communities.

“Fentanyl continues to be one of the most dangerous substances threatening our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie Van Marter. “Thanks to the hard work and tireless dedication of our tribal, state and federal law enforcement partners, working side by side with members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Yakima, offenders have been removed from our communities and families are safer today.”

To date, agents have seized 7,100 pounds of marijuana, 336 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly 25 pounds of cocaine, 7 pounds of fentanyl power, 4,704 fentanyl laced pills, $22,512 in drug proceeds, and 12 firearms. 

According to unsealed charging documents, the following individuals have been charged in connection with the investigation. The United States anticipates bringing additional charges against other individuals identified during this investigation. 

Angel Navarro Aleman, age 55, charged with Distribution of 50 Grams and More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine (three counts) 

Jose Francisco Aguirre, age 56, pleaded guilty to Distribution of 50 Grams and More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine; sentencing in July 2025. 

Jose Caudillo-Ascencio, age 23 charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime

Jesus Caudillo, age 31, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm 

Johnny Thomas Axtell, age 54, charged with Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine; Distribution of Fentanyl

Israel Nicolas Castaneda, age 37, charged with Distribution of Fentanyl; Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl

Samantha Rasberry-Besa, age 31, charged with Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime

Lonzell Hawk Lucei, age 37, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Hollis Marion Woodward, age 70, pleaded guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm, sentencing in September 2025. 

Miguel Angel Alvarado-Munoz, age 45, charged with Alien in United States After Deportation

Ira Charles Pete, age 39, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm 

Edgar Jovnni Nunez Bocanegra, age 29, charged with Drug User in Possession of a Firearm; Possession with Intent to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime

Fernando Gonzalez, age 38, charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm 

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation along with Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, ATF, Yakima Police Department, Wapato Police Department, Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department, and the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office. 

###

Yakima, Washington – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced that 13 people have been charged following the return of 12 indictments alleging more than a dozen charges against these defendants.

The arrests follow a long-term joint federal, local, and tribal investigation that began in 2024, concluding in June 2025, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Indian Affairs. The investigation targeted violent individuals and armed drug traffickers on the Yakama Nation and in the Yakima Valley with the goal to disrupt drug distributors operation both on and off the reservation.

“Fentanyl continues to be one of the most dangerous substances threatening our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie Van Marter. “Thanks to the hard work and tireless dedication of our tribal, state and federal law enforcement partners, working side by side with members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Yakima, offenders have been removed from our communities and families are safer today.”

To date, agents have seized 7,100 pounds of marijuana, 336 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly 25 pounds of cocaine, 7 pounds of fentanyl power, 4,704 fentanyl laced pills, $22,512 in drug proceeds, and 12 firearms.

According to unsealed charging documents, the following individuals have been charged in connection with the investigation. The United States anticipates bringing additional charges against other individuals identified during this investigation.

Angel Navarro Aleman, age 55, charged with Distribution of 50 Grams and More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine (three counts)

Jose Francisco Aguirre, age 56, pleaded guilty to Distribution of 50 Grams and More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine; sentencing in July 2025.

Jose Caudillo-Ascencio, age 23 charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime

Jesus Caudillo, age 31, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Johnny Thomas Axtell, age 54, charged with Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine; Distribution of Fentanyl

Israel Nicolas Castaneda, age 37, charged with Distribution of Fentanyl; Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl

Samantha Rasberry-Besa, age 31, charged with Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime

Lonzell Hawk Lucei, age 37, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Hollis Marion Woodward, age 70, pleaded guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm, sentencing in September 2025.

Miguel Angel Alvarado-Munoz, age 45, charged with Alien in United States After Deportation

Ira Charles Pete, age 39, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm 

Edgar Jovnni Nunez Bocanegra, age 29, charged with Drug User in Possession of a Firearm; Possession with Intent to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime

Fernando Gonzalez, age 38, charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation along with Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, ATF, Yakima Police Department, Wapato Police Department, Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department, and the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office.

25-CR-02035-RLP

25-CR-02016-RLP

25-cr-02064-MKD

25-CR-02046-RLP

25-CR-02013-SAB

25-CR-02034-SAB

25-CR-02050-MKD

25-CR-02041-RLP

25-CR-02058-SAB

25-CR-02036-SAB

25-CR-02055-SAB

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Yakima, WA:  At 10:00 a.m. on Monday July 14, the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, Stephanie Van Mater, will hold a joint press conference alongside the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and additional federal and local law enforcement, to make a significant law enforcement announcement relating to the Yakama Nation. The press event is scheduled to take place at the Yakama Nation Justice Services Center located at 1020-D Fort Rd, Toppenish, WA 98948.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office anticipates being able to release additional information immediately prior to the press conference.

Spokane, Washington – On July 7, 2025, Stephanie Van Marter assumed the role of Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. 

Van Marter, who was born and raised in Spokane, is a distinguished graduate of Gonzaga Prep, Gonzaga University, and the Gonzaga School of Law, where she graduated with highest honors in 1999.  She has been with the United States Attorney’s Office for more than two decades and has served in numerous leadership positions over that time, most recently as Senior Litigation Counsel, Deputy Criminal Chief, and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) Coordinator.  Working alongside federal, state and tribal agency partners, she has taken on hundreds of complex federal cases involving transnational drug trafficking, murder, weapons offenses, crimes against our tribal communities and members, and crimes against children.  Van Marter has been nationally recognized for her successful prosecutions and leadership in targeting and bringing to justice the most dangerous transnational drug traffickers harming our community. 

Van Marter began her prosecutorial career as a deputy prosecuting attorney for Ada County in Boise, Idaho.  During law school, she began serving in the U.S. Attorney’s Office as an intern and volunteered as a victim advocate at Lutheran Family Services in Spokane.  While earning undergraduate degrees in criminal justice and psychology from Gonzaga, she worked at the Spokane Police Department, supporting community policing initiatives.  Van Marter continues to be an active member of the Spokane community, serving as a board member of the Cancer Care Foundation with her father and sister, and as one of the founding board members for the Spokane Alliance for Fentanyl Education (“SAFE”), which recently received national recognition for its work educating the public on the dangers of illicit fentanyl.  Skiers at Mount Spokane may also recognize Van Marter, a certified first responder, who served for 13 years as a member of the National Ski Patrol.  She and her husband, who was also raised in the Spokane community, are the proud parents of four grown sons, each of whom has gone on to earn a college or advanced degree.  Two of her sons also serve in the United States military. Van Marter intends to remain engaged in community service throughout her time at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“Having grown up in this community and chosen it as the place to raise my own family, I am humbled and honored to serve as Acting United States Attorney,” Van Marter said.  “I have dedicated my career to this community and to developing and maintaining partnerships with all who serve in law enforcement.  I have always been driven by a deep commitment to bring justice to those impacted by crime, to ensure that the voices of victims are heard, and to carry out the important law enforcement and prosecutorial missions of this District.  I am proud to be a part of a team of dedicated professionals who work every day to protect our communities, and to work with our federal, state, tribal and community partners and to bring and defend cases that will continue to make our communities stronger and safer.” 

Van Marter’s law enforcement colleagues have welcomed her into her new role as the chief law enforcement officer for the Eastern District, which spans all 20 counties east of the Cascade mountains in Washington.  “Steph Van Marter has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to justice and public safety in all of her work, from transnational drug cases to complicated Indian Country matters,” said Tom Atkinson, the Deputy Associate Director of the Division of Drug Enforcement for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  “Her strong support for the BIA and her unwavering collaboration with tribal, federal, and local partners continues to make a real impact in the communities that make up the Eastern District.  We fully support her appointment as Acting U.S. Attorney and are confident she will continue to champion tribal sovereignty, safety, and justice for all.”

Van Marter succeeds Richard R. Barker, who concludes his service as Acting U.S. Attorney but leaves the leadership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in experienced hands.  “Through her years of service, Steph Van Marter has built outstanding relationships with law enforcement and community members and has brought unmatched dedication to the mission of this office,” Barker said. 

Van Marter looks forward to building on the legacy established by the United States Attorneys who have come before her.  “This office has an incredibly rich tradition of outstanding leadership.  From Jim Connelly, Jim McDevitt, Mike Ormsby, and Joseph Harrington, from whom I learned so much in the early part of my career, through the late Bill Hyslop, to Vanessa Waldref and Richard Barker, the U.S. Attorneys in this District have laid a strong foundation upon which I am eager to build.  I am privileged to have been mentored by these incredible leaders and to have seen firsthand the vast talent of so many Assistant United States Attorneys who have worked and sacrificed for the good of this office and the people in this District. I am grateful for the high standards set by those who have come before me, and I am humbled to be able to follow their examples.”

Van Marter also highlighted her excitement about continuing the great work done by her team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office: “We will build on our already-strong and important relationships with law enforcement and community partners throughout this District.  We will keep seeking justice by bringing a one team approach; to combine and expand our resources together so we can bring the most impactful cases that help our community to be safer.  We will continue to stand for those impacted by crime.  I am so grateful to have this opportunity to continue to strengthen Eastern Washington and secure justice for those who call this beautiful and special place home.”

Beloved Educator. Trailblazing Leader. Champion for Students and Public Education.

Kelso, WA – With deep sorrow and profound respect, the Kelso community and the broader Washington education family mourn the loss of Dr. Gay V. Selby, a legendary educator, barrier-breaking leader, and relentless advocate for students and public education. Dr. Selby passed away peacefully from cardiac arrest on July 7, 2025, at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview. She was 83.

Across a remarkable 50-year career, Dr. Selby transformed the landscape of education in Washington state, dedicating her life to learning, leadership, and service. She served as superintendent of Kelso School District from 1984 to 1994—becoming the first woman to lead a first-class school district in Washington—and was named the state’s Superintendent of the Year in 1992. Her legacy in Kelso is enduring, rooted in high expectations, student-first values, and community connection.

Dr. Selby’s groundbreaking path began as the first female athletic director during her tenure at Kamiakin High School in Kennewick. She went on to become the first female principal at Pullman High School, and later served as Assistant Superintendent in Spokane Public Schools, where she led instruction and guided the rebuilding of 38 schools.

After her retirement from K-12 leadership, she embarked on a second career at Washington State University Vancouver, where she served for 25 years as a professor of educational leadership. There, she built a premier principal certification program and mentored over 300 future leaders—many of whom now serve in school districts across the state. She also taught in the statewide superintendent certification program, shaping Washington’s next generation of district leaders.

A proud and lifelong Cougar, Dr. Selby played an instrumental role in establishing WSU Vancouver—serving on the campus site selection committee, helping hire its second chancellor, and chairing the WSU Vancouver Advisory Council. In recognition of her extraordinary service and leadership, WSU named a portion of the Dengerink Administration Building the “Selby Tower” in 2024—a rare and lasting tribute. She was also honored with the WSU Foundation’s Faculty/Staff Outstanding Volunteer Service Award.

Dr. Selby was a tenacious public servant. Appointed by three governors, she served on the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board. Locally, she held leadership roles on the PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center Board for over a decade and as President of the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce, where she earned lifetime membership. She was named Kelso’s Citizen of the Year in 1992 and received numerous statewide honors, including the Barbara Mertens Legacy Award, the WIAA Pioneer Award, and the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) Service Award.

Her love for Washington State University and Cougar athletics was unwavering—holding football season tickets since 1976 and requiring her students to learn the Cougar fight song as a rite of passage.

Dr. Selby’s life will be celebrated on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Washington State University Vancouver, in the Dengerink Administration Building—beneath the Selby Tower. A reception will follow, and all are welcome to attend.

Gay V. Selby
December 19, 1941 – July 7, 2025

May her legacy forever echo through the lives she touched, the leaders she formed, and the institutions she strengthened.

We are forever grateful.

PORTLAND, Ore. —As Oregon continues to experience persistent hot and dry conditions typical of midsummer, both community prevention efforts and swift responses from wildland firefighters are playing a crucial role in keeping large fires at bay. This season, fewer large wildfires have been reported compared to previous years, a positive trend that fire officials attribute to increased public awareness and the dedication of Initial Attack resources.

This summer, the Bureau of Land Management, along with other agency’s wildfire prevention strategies, are delivering real results. Community vigilance has been instrumental in preventing human-caused wildfires. People recreating, traveling, and working outdoors have stepped up by adhering to fire safety practices, following burn bans, and observing campfire restrictions and equipment guidelines. This collective responsibility is making a real difference in minimizing risk across the state.

Equally significant has been the outstanding performance of Initial Attack resources and technology. These critical first responders—including district firefighters, smokejumpers, and aviation crews—have remained on high alert and have responded rapidly to emerging fire starts. Their ability to contain fires during the first few hours of ignition is making all the difference.  These firefighters are using fire detection cameras to alert them to new fires across Oregon and Washington, giving them every advantage they can to detect, respond and suppress the wildfires at the smallest size possible.

“Initial Attack firefighters have been putting out a ton of fires before they get big. A lightning storm last week was causing 60–70 fires a day, and Initial Attack caught them all,” said Richard Parrish, Assistant Fire Management Officer. However, fire season is far from over and the lightning that occurred over the past couple of days did result some large fires and the BLM continues to support our partners with these fires. With many weeks of hot, dry weather still ahead, fire officials urge the public not to let their guard down. Continued attentiveness and adherence to fire safety guidelines remain essential.

Everyone can help reduce fire risk by taking simple but effective precautions:

• Stay updated on and comply with local fire restrictions.
• Never leave campfires unattended and extinguish them completely.
• Avoid driving or parking on dry vegetation, which can ignite fires.
• Ensure that trailer chains are secured and do not drag on the roadway.
• Operate outdoor equipment during the cooler parts of the day to reduce spark risk.

-BLM-

The BLM manages roughly 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.