TACOMA, WA — A Steilacoom couple was sentenced in federal court Wednesday for their leadership roles in a violent, large-scale drug trafficking ring tied to the Aryan Family prison gang.

Jesse James Bailey, 40, received a 17.5-year prison sentence, while his wife, Candace Bailey, 43, was sentenced to 5 years. Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo described the scale of drug distribution as “unimaginable,” noting Jesse Bailey’s background as the child of drug-addicted parents and his role in perpetuating that cycle.

According to federal prosecutors, the Baileys operated at the top of a multi-state drug conspiracy involving large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Jesse Bailey also possessed firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, including a fully automatic M4 machine gun. Candace Bailey, a former prison guard who met her husband while he was incarcerated, was a full partner in the operation and knowingly supplied weapons to a convicted felon.

During a March 2023 raid led by the FBI, 24 individuals were arrested across Washington and Arizona. Authorities seized 177 firearms, over 10 kilograms of methamphetamine, 12 kilograms of fentanyl, heroin, and more than $330,000 in cash. Additional items forfeited by the Baileys included nearly $700,000 in proceeds, dozens of firearms and accessories, body armor, and jewelry.

The Baileys also attempted to launder drug profits through casinos and financial institutions. Prosecutors emphasized the violent nature of the organization and its threat to the Puget Sound region, citing its ties to white supremacist prison gangs.

The case was investigated through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program and involved cooperation from multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, DEA, HSI, Washington State DOC, Tacoma Police, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force.