Shoreline Gang Member Convicted of Drug and Gun Crimes

A Shoreline man described by law enforcement authorities as drug dealer and member of the Sureno 13 street gang was convicted of drug and gun crimes Thursday in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

 Andres Rene Rodriguez, 25, of Shoreline, Washington, was convicted today in U.S. District Court in Seattle on 10 counts related to drug trafficking and gun possession. 

 One count, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, means Rodriguez faces an additional five years in prison on top of the sentence for the drug trafficking convictions. 

 He will face a range of five years to life in prison, when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman in June 2011.  The jury deliberated about five hours following a two-day trial.

 Rodriguez sold oxycodone on three different occasions to a person working with law enforcement in October and November 2010, according to records filed in the case and testimony at trial.

 When agents and officers arrested Rodriguez and searched his apartment on November 26, 2010, they found additional oxycodone about six inches away from a loaded handgun.  The serial number on the handgun had been obliterated.  Rodriguez, a convicted felon, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.  The search of the apartment also turned up cocaine.

 Rodriguez, a member of the Sureno 13 street gang, has been involved in multiple incidents of gang-related weapons possession, threats, violence and witness intimidation, according to records of the King County Sheriff’s Office Gang Unit.

 The jury convicted Rodriguez of three counts of distribution of oxycodone, possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. 

 In closing arguments prosecutors, Mike Dion and Sunni Ko, pointed out the close proximity of the gun and drugs in Rodriguez’ apartment saying a gun “is a tool of the trade for drug traffickers... The apartment was the lair of a drug dealer – where he kept his dope, and where he kept his gun.”

 The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of officers from the Seattle Police Department, Shoreline Police Department and King County Sheriff’s Office.