Seattle’s International District was shaken by a violent drive-by shooting that led to the arrest of 50-year-old Phuong Nguyen Le. Today, Le was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller.
On February 24, 2023, Seattle Police responded to gunfire near 10th Avenue South and South King Street. Witnesses reported seeing a man in a white Mercedes firing a handgun into the air. Officers quickly located the vehicle and found Le inside with a loaded Springfield Armory XD-9 pistol, extra magazines, and spent bullet casings. A search of his car uncovered a shocking amount of illegal drugs, including:
- 83 grams of heroin
- 135 grams of cocaine
- 194 grams of suspected fentanyl powder
- 350 fentanyl-laced pills
At his sentencing, U.S. District Judge John H. Chun denounced Le’s actions, stating they posed a “serious risk” to the community. Prosecutors argued that his combination of drug trafficking and firearm possession made him a significant danger.
Le, who has prior convictions for drug distribution and firearm possession, will also serve five years of supervised release after prison. His sentencing is part of a larger crackdown by law enforcement to improve public safety in Seattle’s International District. Authorities remain committed to keeping dangerous offenders off the streets.
