Rural Skykomish Valley Now Controlled by Gangs?

I think the best description of what has happened in Monroe and Sultan, Washington would be to call it a shock! Three years ago we began to see TAGGING all over the city. These are spray paint can graffiti on walls, fences and buildings all proclaiming gang notations for MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha 13) or the Brown Pride Soldiers (BPS)! These local chapters represent some of the most dangerous, heavily armed gangs in the US. Here is the FBI 2009 Gang Report; read the section on regional activity and in particular the Northwest Region. FBI LINK

’m sure you have heard the phrase: On a Clear Day you can See Forever and understand its subtle meanings. However, in the Skykomish River Valley, famous around the USA for its wilderness areas, it goes like this: “ON A CALM DAY YOU CAN SMELL FOREVER!” What does that mean? It’s the smell of ammonia like the odor of a kitty litter box combined sometimes with the smell of rotten eggs. It’s the smell of Meth Factories operating between the cities of Monroe, Sultan and Skykomish in the valley all along Highway 2 (the Highway of Death) and on up to Stevens Pass! The locals call it Meth Valley! These factories operate out in the forest, dotted by old logging and recreational vehicle roads and are hard to spot from the air. These Meth factories are set up to quickly produce their products and are under tents and easily abandoned if any police agency ever got up the nerve to go up in those areas. The gangs that operate the camouflaged labs are very well armed with all kinds of illegal weapons to include automatic machine guns similar to the AK 47. 

There were plenty of early warnings beginning with the Sky Valley Meth Lab in Index LINK1. Then there was a warning letter written by me and published in the Everett Herald LINK2. Stories began to appear about mass quantities of Meth coming from the valley and the rural areas of Snohomish County LINK3. Then this last month came the big wake up call for Rural Snohomish County, a brutal gangland murder in the small city of Sultan. LINK4

This murder was a major shock to not only the local Sultan/Monroe community but a MAJOR embarrassment to John Lovick the leftist Sheriff of Snohomish County. Lovick is of the belief that by doing a lot of social work the Snohomish County Sheriff’s office can stem major gang problems in the county. You know the liberal drill: “the poor babies, their environment made ‘em do it!” The murder got to be such a big slap in the face for County Executive Aaron Reardon and Lovick that the ‘bought and paid for’ Everett Herald jumped in and shoved the story on the back pages on B-8, running one of those ‘everything will be all right and you don’t have to worry’ leftwing pieces LINK5. So-called “local leaders” are trying to suggest that the best way to manage the problem is to hold meetings with the ‘youth of the community’ rather than deal with the real problem and start the process of SHUTTING DOWN THE METH LABS!

The Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe has regular scheduled gun shows. Since Obama has been elected there was a rush to buy guns/ammo and the gun shows have had some great times finally slowing down last month. However, locals are telling me to expect a FLOOD of folks coming in during the next gun show to buy guns and stock up on ammo. All because of increasing fear out in the boonies that the sheriff’s office will not be enough to protect them from these armed desperadoes.

One very small city, local city councilman confidentially told me last week, “If the Snohomish County Sheriff is not going to go after these criminals, then we will fend for ourselves!” So if you happen to be out hiking in rural Snohomish County this summer and particularly in Sky Valley and you hear gunshots, be careful. As the late President Reagan used to say, “Don’t forget to duck!”