Moses Lake, Washington Man Sentenced to over 22 Years in Connection with a Shootout on Spokane’s Lower South Hill

Spokane – Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Arthur Frank Cardenas, age 37, of Moses Lake, Washington, was sentenced after a jury previously found him guilty on April 16, 2015, of:

- being a felon in possession of a firearm (Count 1);

- being a felon in possession of an explosive device (Count 2);

- possessing an unregistered firearm (Count 3);

- possessing pure methamphetamine with intent to distribute it (Count 4); and

- possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Count 5).

United States District Judge William Fremming Nielsen sentenced Cardenas to a 270 month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a five year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.

According to information disclosed during the court proceedings, on April 26, 2012, Cardenas participated in an exchange of gunfire with another individual at a duplex located on the lower South Hill in Spokane, Washington. Cardenas was injured during the exchange of gunfire and was taken to Deaconess Medical Center for treatment. A subsequent investigation revealed that Cardenas was armed with a Walther model PPK/S .380 caliber handgun during the shootout and that bullets from that firearm struck a nearby residence. In the trunk of Cardenas’ vehicle, law enforcement officers found a hand grenade, explosive powder, 243.9 grams of pure methamphetamine, and approximately $17,410. Cardenas had another $3,000 on his person. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Nielsen noted that Cardenas had a lengthy criminal history that resulted in a high offender score.

Michael C. Ormsby stated, “Cardenas’ conduct presented a danger to citizens here in Spokane, Washington. The twenty two and a half year sentence reflects the seriousness of Cardenas’ criminal conduct. I commend the Spokane Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms for the thorough investigation of this matter. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington will aggressively prosecute firearm and drug trafficking violations that occur within this District.”

This investigation was conducted by Spokane Police Department with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Timothy J. Ohms, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.