Accused drug trafficker held Washington man hostage and killed him over debt, feds say
A 46-year-old man accused of drug trafficking and killing a Washington man over owed money has been charged by a federal grand jury, officials said.
Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal of Mexico was indicted on more than 10 charges on Jan. 6, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Castillo-Bernal is accused of killing Ricardo Corral-Moreno, of Olympia, Washington, in 2019, after kidnapping and holding the man hostage over money he was owed, prosecutors said in the news release.
Prosecutors said Castillo-Bernal, along with others, dumped Corral-Moreno’s body near Molalla, Oregon.
His defense attorney, Thomas K. Coan, told McClatchy News he denies all of the charges and “plans to vigorously defend against them in court.”
In addition to the charges related to the man’s death, Castillo-Bernal is accused of trafficking and distributing meth and heroin around the Portland area, the news release states.
The man imported the drugs from suppliers and held them at different “stash houses” around Portland, prosecutors said. At these houses, the drugs were “processed and prepared for sale,” according to the news release.
Castillo-Bernal’s charges:
- Conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances.
- Killing while engaged in drug trafficking.
- Distribution of heroin.
- Distribution of methamphetamine (two counts).
- Kidnapping resulting in death.
- Conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death.
- Hostage taking resulting in death.
- Conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death.
- Felon in possession of a firearm.
- Fraud and misuse of a visa.
If he is convicted on kidnapping and hostage taking resulting in death, he faces a mandatory life sentence in prison.
A jury trial for Castillo-Bernal will begin on April 12.
This story was originally published January 7, 2022 at 1:52 PM with the headline "Accused drug trafficker held Washington man hostage and killed him over debt, feds say."
