Two Tacoma men sentenced to lengthy prison terms for gun and drug crimes

 Large amount of methamphetamine plus firearms results in 10-year and 6-year prison sentences

Tacoma – Two Tacoma residents were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to lengthy prison terms for gun and drug-distribution crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.  Tyson Lloyd, 33, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Cole Hornbeck, 25, was sentenced to 6 years in prison.  Both defendants conspired to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine.  Both men also illegally possessed firearms in connection with their drug-dealing activity.  At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said, “There is nothing good about methamphetamine – it destroys lives.  People are harmed, people suffer.  And not just the user – it is families of users who are harmed as well.”

“These defendants were dealing substantial quantities of methamphetamine – a drug linked to overdoses and deaths nationwide,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman.  “And these defendants conducted their drug business while illegally possessing firearms – a dangerous combination.”

According to the plea agreements, Lloyd supervised Hornbeck as a distributor in his drug-trafficking network.  In April 2020, the defendants agreed to sell methamphetamine to a person who, unbeknownst to them, was working with law enforcement.  The defendants sold this person $5,000 worth of methamphetamine and made plans for another drug deal the following week.  Ultimately, the defendants and a potential supplier were arrested in Auburn, Washington, during a deal for a large quantity of methamphetamine.  When law enforcement subsequently searched Lloyd and Hornbeck’s shared residence under a court-authorized search warrant, investigators seized more methamphetamine, cocaine, and other drugs that the defendants planned to distribute.  Law enforcement also found two firearms in the residence: a shotgun and a stolen .45‑caliber pistol. 

In addition to the drug-conspiracy charges, Lloyd pleaded guilty to possessing firearms as a felon; he has multiple Washington State convictions for crimes such as burglary, car theft, and identity theft.  Hornbeck pleaded guilty to possessing firearms as an unlawful user of controlled substances.  Both firearm offenses are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Lloyd and Hornbeck have been in custody at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac since their arrests on April 29, 2020.  Once they complete their prison terms, Lloyd will serve a five-year term of supervised release, and Hornbeck will serve a four-year term of supervised release.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Tacoma Resident Office, the Lewis County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET), and the Grays Harbor Drug Task Force (GHDTF).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonas Lerman.