Serial Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison on Drug Trafficking Charges

Spokane, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Gage Lyle Forsberg, age 30, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Distribution of 40 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 175 months and 6 days imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.

In imposing this lengthy sentence, Judge Rice considered Forsberg’s extensive criminal history as well as the string of crimes Forsberg engaged in that ultimately resulted in this federal indictment.

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on October 21, 2021, the Spokane Police Department (SPD) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Forsberg for reckless driving. Forsberg was arrested. During a search, SPD located $1,120 on Forsberg, as well as drug paraphernalia and 9 fentanyl pills in the vehicle. Forsberg was booked into jail and ultimately released.

While that case was pending, on February 4, 2022, SPD spotted Forsberg driving a stolen vehicle with a smashed-out window. SPD arrested Forsberg and during a search, SPD located a baggie of fentanyl pills, cash, and a loaded magazine for a handgun. Inside the vehicle, SPD located a loaded 9mm firearm with the serial number ground off, a 10mm firearm that had been reported stolen, several boxes of ammunition as well as loose rounds of ammunition, multiple knives, more than $22,000, five baseball-sized bags of fentanyl pills, and a bag containing heroin. SPD also located a glass punch, which is used to break vehicle windows.  Forsberg was booked into jail and ultimately released t.

A few days later, on February 20, 2022, a 911 caller reported Forsberg had a weapon and was trying to start a fight at a location in Spokane. A witness saw Forsberg was armed and yelled “gun” to alert others. Forsberg took a gun out of his pants and threw it into the street. A bystander retrieved the gun and rendered it safe. When SPD arrived, Forsberg was contacted and arrested. During a search incident to arrest, SPD located $2,980, suboxone strips, a baggie containing fentanyl, and a 9mm magazine. The firearm Forsberg tossed into the street was a 9mm pistol. Forsberg was booked into jail and ultimately released.

On October 26, 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), arranged a controlled buy of approximately 700 fentanyl pills from Forsberg using an undercover agent. Forsberg had two other individuals with him, co-defendants Jonah Chapin and Brady Towner.  While the undercover agent was negotiating the sale with Forsberg, Towner brandished a gun and moved to a position of advantage behind the undercover agent. Seeing this, surveillance units gave the signal to call off the deal and the undercover agent walked away. Forsberg then followed the agent and insisted on the sale, which they completed.

Following the sale, Forsberg left the area driving a green Ford Explorer. Given the presence of a firearm and menacing conduct, law enforcement activated their emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to stop Forsberg’s vehicle in Airway Heights. Forsberg failed to yield and ultimately fled, driving recklessly to escape. Forsberg was subsequently federally indicted, and a warrant issued for his arrest.

On November 15, 2022, ATF saw Forsberg driving a vehicle in the Spokane area. ATF attempted to contact the vehicle; however, the vehicle attempted to flee. The vehicle was boxed in by ATF vehicles and stopped. The occupants of the vehicle were not compliant with commands and the vehicle’s windows were heavily tinted, which prevented ATF from initially seeing what was happening in the vehicle and raised safety concerns given the conduct during the October encounter.

Forsberg, Chapin, and Forsberg’s then girlfriend EvaMarie Miller were ultimately removed from the vehicle and detained. During a search of the vehicle, agents seized bags containing large quantities of fentanyl pills and approximately $20,000 in Forsberg’s backpack, two loaded handguns (to include one readily accessible in the driver’s door panel), boxed ammunition, several cell phones, drug ledgers, and a small amount of methamphetamine. There were also many loose fentanyl pills strewn throughout the vehicle as if a large bag of fentanyl pills was carelessly ripped open. Chapin was found to have approximately 100 fentanyl pills in a fake battery on his person as well as brass knuckles.

Forsberg’s co-defendants were previously sentenced for their respective roles in Forsberg’s activities. Chapin was sentenced to 40 months in prison, Towner was sentenced to 84 months in prison, and Miller was sentenced to 36 months in prison.

“Mr. Forsberg showed a willful disregard for the law and the safety of our communities by repeatedly engaging in drug trafficking, recklessly attempting to elude law enforcement, illegally possessing stolen firearms, and vehicle theft,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref.  “Members of my Office come to work every day to make Eastern Washington safe for everyone. We accomplish that by working hand in hand with our law enforcement partners to hold individuals accountable who engage in dangerous conduct and repeatedly flout the rule of law.”

“Guns and drugs are a losing combination, particularly when used together in the commission of a crime,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Mr. Forsberg knew what he was doing was wrong, then exacerbated it by fleeing from law enforcement twice. He certainly earned this justified sentence.”

This case was investigated by the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Moses Lake Police Department, and the Spokane Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard.