A Seattle resident has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for his involvement in a transnational drug trafficking organization, according to an announcement from United States Attorney Troy Rivetti. Bryce Hill, 28, received the sentence from United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan after being convicted by a jury in September 2025.
Hill was one of 35 individuals indicted in January 2024 for participating in a conspiracy involving large-scale distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine across domestic and international lines. The charges stemmed from an investigation into the Phoenix-based Monarrez Drug Trafficking Organization, which distributed millions of fentanyl pills, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and dozens of kilograms of cocaine between August 2021 and June 2023.
Evidence at trial showed that Hill was intercepted through a federal wiretap while obtaining substantial quantities of fentanyl pills and powder intended for redistribution throughout the country, including western Pennsylvania. Law enforcement also seized significant amounts of drugs and cash during searches linked to Hill. On January 11, 2023, authorities found 27 kilograms of fentanyl pills, multiple firearms, and $387,000 in cash at Hill’s apartment. A separate search on December 25, 2022 at a rental property in Scottsdale, Arizona resulted in the seizure of additional narcotics—including fentanyl pills and powder—along with three kilograms of cocaine, nearly fifty kilograms of methamphetamine, and twenty firearms.
The jury determined that Hill conspired with others to distribute or possess with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine, more than 400 grams of fentanyl, and over 500 grams of methamphetamine within the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
Hill is among several defendants who have been sentenced as part of this case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Arnold P. Bernard Jr. and Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted the case for the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti recognized the efforts by several agencies involved in the investigation: “The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations led this case,” Rivetti stated. He added that other agencies such as Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Scottsdale Police Department (Arizona), and various local law enforcement groups also contributed to the operation.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative targeting cartels and transnational criminal organizations nationwide through coordinated efforts involving Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
