Spokane, WASH. — Five young men are facing federal charges of weapons trafficking across the Inland Northwest, the Sheriff and ATF announced Monday. If convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison.
Sheriff John Nowels says four were in Spokane County and one was in Montana. They were selling the guns to the ‘IPO blood’ gang.
He says evidence at several violent crimes scenes lead them to the group. They found firearms that were purchased legally in Montana were being trafficked to teen gang members in Spokane County. Detectives recovered shell casings at scenes in Montana and were able to connect them to crimes in Spokane County.
One of those guns was allegedly used at the Maverik Gas Station in April of 2025 where one person was killed. Charges were dismissed over a self-defense claim. The Sheriff says the shooter fired at rival gang members.
Over 40 search warrants were executed on properties in Spokane and Montana, along with social media sites.
Sheriff Nowels criticized Washington laws for being soft on gun crimes, and applauded the federal government’s work to crack down on them.
“We don’t have any room for juvenile gangs to take their violence to our streets,” Nowels said.
Defendants Ryder Robison (21), Quentin Hutchison (19), Owen Neeson-Graham (21), Ethin Rettkowksi (19), and Dylin Doughty (20) are accused of conspiring to sell or transfer weapons. Robison is the one from Montana. In an indictment, the grand jury wrote the individuals:
“did knowingly conspires and agree to ship, transport, transfer, cause to be transported, or otherwise dispose of a firearm(s) to another person, and the receive a firearm(s) from another person, in or otherwise affecting interstate and foreign commerce.”
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