Former King County Jail Guard Admits to Bribery and Drug Trafficking

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Seattle – Mosses Ramos, a former King County Jail guard, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to charges of bribery and distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl pills, as announced by U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ramos, 40, from Milton, Washington, had served as a jail guard for 17 years before being fired last year. He now faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez on September 13, 2024.

Court records indicate that between March and May 2023, Ramos accepted bribes to smuggle approximately a pound of methamphetamine and 100 fentanyl pills into the jail for inmates Michael Anthony Barquet, 37, and Francisco Montero, 25. Both inmates are currently incarcerated, with Montero awaiting trial in King County Superior Court for a double homicide and Barquet scheduled for trial on drug and bribery charges in October 2024.

The bribery and drug trafficking scheme extended beyond the jail, involving three female coconspirators: Neca Silvestre, 38, of Kent; Katrina Cazares, 38, of Burien; and Kayara Zepeda Montero, 27, of Seattle. All three women are charged in connection with the case.

Bribery carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, while drug distribution is punishable by up to 20 years.

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