Federal Way man arrested after telling agents he lost his backpacks of cocaine

A Federal Way man, who had been caught toting loads of cash near the U.S.-Canadian border several times over the past year, was arrested Saturday after telling border agents he had misplaced two backpacks full of cocaine.

Leroy Carr, 46, was charged with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. A detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

Border agents have had their eyes on Carr since last December, when he was stopped by officers at the Pacific Highway port of entry in Blaine. At the time Carr was carrying a backpack containing more than $5,700 in cash, night-vision goggles, and he also possessed coordinates of a "well-known drug smuggling trail," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Carr was found near the border three more times carrying large amounts of cash.

Then in August he contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to report that his two backpacks full of cocaine were missing. He had stashed them in a bush near the border earlier that month, but when he returned they were gone.

Carr told agents he didn't want his crime group to think he stole the drugs and retaliate, so he requested that they put out a news release saying they had seized the drugs.

Weeks later, the two backpacks were found with 31 kilograms of cocaine inside.

Carr was arrested Saturday near the port of entry in Sumas, Whatcom County.

Christina Siderius: 206-464-2112 or csiderius@seattletimes.com