Pierce County man linked to white supremacist gang pleads guilty to drug trafficking

Two men who federal prosecutors described as high-level members of a drug ring associated with a white supremacist prison gang pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to drug and weapons crimes involving fire.

Gregory Beers, 31 of Edgewood, and Ronald McComb, 59 of Ridgefield, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington announced in a news release. Beers also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. McComb also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Prosecutors and attorneys for the defendants agreed to recommend 12 1/2 years in prison for Beers and 13 years in prison for McComb. They are expected to be sentenced before Chief Judge David Estudillo in September.

The men were among 27 indicted in March last year who were linked to Aryan prison gangs and Mexican cartels. A number of defendants had ties to Pierce County. Beers and two others were still wanted by authorities when federal and local authorities announced the conclusion of an investigation into the drug trafficking conspiracy.

Beers managed to elude authorities on March 22, 2023, when law enforcement attempted to execute a search warrant for his arrest at a residence where he was staying in Edgewood, according to a copy of his plea agreement. That week, authorities executed search and arrest warrants at 18 locations in Washington and Arizona.

When police tried to arrest Beers, prosecutors said, he threw away a loaded gun, then jumped a fence into a neighbor's yard. Inside the residence, law enforcement discovered two firearms and body armor. In his car, police found seven other weapons and additional body armor. Police also recovered illegal drugs, cash and drug records.

Beers was arrested April 11 when he was found living in an RV parked at a Tacoma home. Police found more weapons in the trailer and $7,271, according to court records. Law enforcement also seized six pieces of jewelry worth more than $35,000, including a 14-karat gold “Miami Cuban” link chain, a diamond bracelet and a gold ring.

Prosecutors said Beers admitted in his plea agreement that he sent video messages to state Department of Corrections inmates showing several high-powered firearms and large sums of cash and gold which he had earned through drug trafficking. The plea agreement detailed several calls in which Beers discussed his drug dealing involving tens of thousands of fentanyl pills and multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine.

McComb admitted in his plea agreement to several recorded phone calls with co-conspirators, according to prosecutors. During these calls, McComb discussed his drug trafficking business and the creation of a distribution network to move fentanyl pills to Alaska.

He further admitted to possessing large quantities of heroin and a 9mm handgun that was seized from his vehicle after a traffic stop in February 2022, prosecutors said. He was then arrested on March 22, 2023.