King County prosecutors continue filing dozens of felony drug-dealing charges tied to fentanyl and methamphetamine, but many residents in some of Seattle's hardest-hit neighborhoods said the crisis remains highly visible on the streets and largely unchanged.
This image shows a man holding a straw above a piece of foil as he lights the substance on top and inhales it at the intersection of 12th and Jackson in Seattle.
King County prosecutors continue filing dozens of felony drug-dealing charges tied to fentanyl and methamphetamine, but many residents in some of Seattle's hardest-hit neighborhoods said the crisis remains highly visible on the streets and largely unchanged. The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office filed 46 felony drug-dealing cases during the first quarter of 2026, according to data released this week.
More than a third of those cases were connected to three Seattle hotspots, which include 3rd Avenue and Pine Street, parts of Belltown, and the intersection of 12th Avenue S and S Jackson Street in Little Saigon. Douglas Wagoner, a spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, said most of the drug-dealing cases from the first part of this year involve fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Public Health – Seattle & King County reported 191 confirmed fatal overdoses through April of this year. In 2025, the county recorded 914 fatal overdoses, with fentanyl involved in 78% of those deaths and methamphetamine involved in 56%. King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion remains focused on targeting dealers distributing the drugs most closely linked to overdose deaths.
According to prosecutors, 24 of the 46 cases filed in the first three months of 2026 involved fentanyl, while 32 cases involved either fentanyl or methamphetamine. Seventeen cases involved multiple drugs. The cases range from street-level dealers to larger trafficking operations. More than half of the drug-dealing charges originated from cases in Seattle, though prosecutors said drug activity remains widespread throughout the county, including in Kent, Auburn, and Bellevue.
Officials also noted connections between drug sales, gun crimes and other offenses tied to addiction and street-level dealing, which include theft and trafficking in stolen goods. Investigators have seen people exchange public assistance benefits for drugs. Under Washington law, felony drug-dealing cases are prosecuted by the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, while misdemeanor drug possession and public use cases are generally handled by municipal prosecutors.
Despite the steady flow of prosecutions, some residents and business owners in neighborhoods where open-air drug use and dealing remain common said they have yet to see noticeable improvements on the streets
King County Prosecutors Felony Drug-Dealing Charges Fentanyl Methamphetamine Seattle Hotspots Fatal Overdoses Drug Addiction Gun Crimes Theft And Trafficking In Stolen Goods Public Assistance Benefits For Drugs
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