Repeat offender sentenced to eleven years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm

Seattle - A repeat offender, who continued to deal methamphetamine and cocaine in Thurston County even as he was on supervised release from a prior conviction, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 132 months in prison, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. 40-year-old David Nathaniel Hoffman, aka "Fat Nate," was arrested on August 8, 2025, following three incidents in March and July 2025 when law enforcement confirmed he sold methamphetamine. When he was taken into custody, Hoffman had cocaine and a firearm with the serial number removed. Hoffman is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2019 federal conviction for drug trafficking and assaulting a fellow federal inmate resulting in serious bodily injury.

According to records filed in the case, Hoffman was released from a 64-month sentence for drug trafficking in August 2024. While on federal supervision, he quickly returned to drug use and drug trafficking and absconded from supervision. When he appeared before his sentencing judge, he was jailed for two months for his supervision violations. On May 1, 2025, he started federal supervision a second time and continued to sell drugs resulting in the arrest on August 8, 2025.

At today's sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright said that Hoffman had exhibited a "long-standing pattern of drug distribution and criminal conduct, including while on federal supervised release, which shows disregard for the law."

It was during a July 15, 2025, drug deal in a motel parking lot that Hoffman told a confidential source that he was the most "well known drug dealer in the County."

In September 2025 Hoffman was indicted for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. He pled guilty in April 2026 to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. He also admitted to conspiring to distribute suboxone within the federal prison where he served his previous federal sentence.

In asking for a 144-month sentence, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Crisham wrote, "Hoffman has been a pernicious presence in Thurston and Mason Counties. Simply put, whenever Hoffman is not in custody, he continues to distribute large amounts of dangerous drugs…. As evidenced by his comments to the confidential source, he has significant criminal contacts and larger-scale sources to supply him with controlled substances. Hoffman also exhibits complete disregard for the law and the Court by selling drugs and ignoring the terms of his supervision."

Judge Cartwright sentenced Hoffman to a ten-year sentence on the drug trafficking and firearms convictions and an additional 12-months for his eight violations of supervised release on his prior drug trafficking conviction.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Thurston County Sheriff's Office, and the Olympia and Lacey Police Departments.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Crisham.