SPOKANE, WA — A Wenatchee man has been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl and illegally possessing firearms, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington.

Federal officials announced that 40-year-old Steven E. Graham of Wenatchee was sentenced by Rebecca Pennell following his conviction on drug trafficking and firearms charges. In addition to the prison sentence, Graham was ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after completing his term .

Court documents state Graham was found guilty by a jury on July 30, 2025. Investigators began looking into Graham in late November 2023 while he was under community custody supervision for a prior state drug conviction and had an active warrant for violations of those conditions .

According to authorities, investigators with the Columbia River Drug Task Force learned Graham was staying at a motel in Wenatchee. After conducting surveillance and observing activity consistent with drug trafficking, officers obtained a search warrant for his motel room and a vehicle he was using. The warrant was executed on November 29, 2023, after Graham and others were seen moving luggage from the room to the vehicle .

During the search, investigators reportedly seized more than 7,000 fentanyl-laced pills, over 170 grams of methamphetamine, four firearms, and approximately $19,000 in cash. Graham was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law due to previous felony convictions and was classified as a career offender under federal sentencing guidelines .

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Columbia River Drug Task Force and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington .