Seven arrested in Moses Lake drug busts
Candice Boutilier/Columbia Basin Herald<br> A Hummer was seized during a drug bust that spanned between Moses Lake and the Tri-Cities Wednesday and Thursday.
MOSES LAKE — Seven Moses Lake residents were arrested in connection to a drug operation spanning between Moses Lake and Tri-Cities.
Details about the people arrested in the operation were released Monday.
Thirteen people were arrested between Moses Lake, Kennewick, Wash., and Pasco, Wash., said Grant County Undersheriff John Turley. Some were booked for federal warrants.
Moses Lake arrests were made at homes on Harris Road Northeast, Lowry Street, South Beaumont Drive, West Malaga Avenue and West Peninsula Drive. The homes are either in the Moses Lake city limits or the outlying Grant County area.
Patricia Lynn White, 48, Moses Lake, was booked into jail for violating the Uniform Controlled Substance Act for possession of cocaine.
Daniel Pichardo, 50, Moses Lake, Saturnina Yvette Westfield, 32, Moses Lake, and Corina Pichardo, 47, Moses Lake, were each booked into jail for violating the Uniform Controlled Substance Act for possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, according to Grant County Jail records.
Michael Ray Bohn, 51, Moses Lake, was booked into jail for possession of methamphetamine.
Ernesto Olmos Franco, 52, Moses Lake, was booked into jail for felon in possession of a firearm, according to Grant County Jail records.
Anthony Michael St. Clair, 35, Moses Lake, was booked into jail for warrants concerning failure to pay child support.
The investigation began in December 2008 when the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began tracking an alleged drug dealer selling large amounts of narcotics between Moses Lake and the Tri-Cities, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Between the two busts, several items were seized including, 15 vehicles, half a kilogram of cocaine, quarter pound of crystal methamphetamine, one pound of marijuana, $9,000 and several narcotic pills, Turley said.
The first drug raids were Wednesday in Kennewick, Wash., and Pasco, Wash.. Multiple agencies seized drugs, vehicles, cash, belongings and made arrests, according to the sheriff’s office. A marijuana grow operation was found in Kennewick, Wash.
The busts continued in Moses Lake Thursday with several agencies confiscating drugs, vehicles, belongings and making arrests at various homes.
Agencies assisting with the two-day seizure were the DEA, sheriff’s office, Grant County INET, Grant County K-9 Unit, Moses Lake Police Department, Ephrata Police Department, Quincy Police Department, Washington State Patrol K-9 Unit, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Kennewick Metro, Pasco Police Department and the Kennewick Police Department.