Leniency Lunacy: Drug Traffickers Freed, Then Rearrested in WA Bust

Three men, each with a rap sheet stretching back decades, now sit in federal detention in Washington state, accused of running a drug and gun trafficking ring. Percy Levy, Eugene Smith, and Robert Baggett aren’t first-time offenders caught in a bad moment. They’re career criminals who were handed second chances through sentence commutations, only to allegedly return to peddling cocaine, fentanyl, and firearms. This isn’t just a local bust; it’s a glaring indictment of policies that prioritize leniency over accountability. When the system lets violent felons walk early, it’s not just a roll of the dice—it’s a loaded gun pointed at our communities.

The details of their alleged crimes hit like a gut punch. Levy, a man with convictions for robbery and assault, had his 19-year sentence cut short in 2019. Smith, sentenced to life in 1996 for a string of violent crimes, walked free in 2020. Baggett, with 14 felonies to his name, was back on the streets despite a history of theft and assault. Now, they’re linked to a conspiracy that flooded Snohomish County with deadly drugs and illegal weapons. The question isn’t why they did it—it’s why anyone thought they wouldn’t.

Advocates for early release argue that rehabilitation programs can turn lives around, pointing to data showing lower recidivism rates for some non-violent offenders. California’s prison system, for instance, reports that inmates who complete educational programs reoffend at a rate of 25%, compared to 44% for those who don’t. But here’s the catch: those numbers don’t hold up for violent felons like Levy, Smith, and Baggett. Studies consistently show that violent offenders are more likely to return to crime, with over 60% rearrested within three years of release. Handing out commutations to people with histories of robbery, assault, and drug trafficking isn’t compassion—it’s reckless.

The Snohomish case lays bare the consequences. Law enforcement caught Baggett selling cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine to undercover officers, while Levy’s home was a stash house for drugs and a loaded firearm. Smith, meanwhile, was arrested delivering cocaine and fentanyl at a casino. These aren’t men who learned their lesson; they’re proof that some criminals see clemency as a free pass. The FBI and Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force had to clean up the mess, seizing bricks of cocaine and fentanyl powder. But how many lives were already ruined by the drugs these men allegedly peddled?

The link between drugs and guns isn’t some abstract theory—it’s a deadly reality. Operations like Sonic Boom in Oklahoma City have shown how drug trafficking organizations use firearms to protect their empires, fueling gang shootings and homicides. In Snohomish, Baggett allegedly sold not just drugs but guns, while Levy kept a loaded firearm under his pillow alongside his drug stash. These men, legally barred from owning weapons due to their felony records, didn’t hesitate to arm themselves. Yet policies that let them back onto the streets enabled this cycle of violence. It’s no coincidence that nearly half of firearms seizures in some regions are tied to drug trafficking.

Those pushing for softer sentencing claim mandatory minimums are too harsh, arguing they trap low-level offenders in long prison terms. But Levy faces a minimum of 15 years, and Baggett and Smith face at least ten—not because they’re small-time dealers, but because their actions endangered entire communities. Federal guidelines are clear: trafficking five kilograms of cocaine or possessing a gun during a drug crime demands serious time. That’s not injustice; it’s a recognition that some crimes are too dangerous to forgive lightly. The real injustice is a system that lets repeat offenders exploit second chances to wreak havoc.

The Snohomish bust isn’t an isolated incident—it’s a warning. Regional drug task forces, like those under the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, are fighting an uphill battle against fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine flooding our streets. In 2024 alone, the DEA’s Bellingham task force seized over 850,000 fentanyl pills and seven kilograms of cocaine in Washington. These efforts are heroic, but they’re undermined when the same criminals are cycled back into society without real consequences. Fentanyl now drives 70% of overdose deaths nationwide, and cases like this show how repeat offenders keep the crisis burning.

It’s time to stop gambling with public safety. Commutations for violent felons don’t just risk recidivism—they invite it. The men in Snohomish County didn’t reform; they regrouped. Their alleged crimes show what happens when accountability takes a backseat to misguided mercy. Law enforcement deserves better than cleaning up after failed experiments in leniency. Communities deserve better than living in fear of the next drug deal or stray bullet. The answer isn’t more second chances for those who’ve proven they don’t deserve them—it’s a justice system that puts victims first and keeps dangerous criminals where they belong.