Shooter who injured federal agents identified, arraigned from hospital bed

By EMRY DINMAN

Staff Writer

MOSES LAKE - A 47-year-old Moses Lake man has been identified as the shooter that wounded two federal agents and then reportedly shot himself in the head during a July 16 regional drug raid, according to police officials.

Patrick Pearson was arraigned by U.S. District Court officials from his hospital bed at Providence-Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, where he is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head, said Kyle Foreman, public information officer with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

Pearson, along with 14 other defendants, face charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, reportedly as part of widespread drug trafficking ring connected to street gang Eastside Familia Norteno. All of the defendants have pled not guilty for each of their charges.

The 15 individuals were arrested in the following cities: 11 in Moses Lake, one in Ephrata, two in Yakima, and one in Warden. Of the 15, all but one are currently in detention, court records show. Agents and officers reportedly seized pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, and over 50 firearms during the raid, according to a press release.

Pearson faces additional charges of first-degree assault of an officer for inflicting injuries on two federal agents in a shootout during the raids. Both agents were injured by shrapnel during that shootout, which ended when Pearson reportedly shot himself in the head.

Pearson has a long criminal history and is “familiar to police,” Foreman said. He has found himself in various county courts for criminal charges 13 times since 1997, state court records show.

Emry Dinman can be reached via email at edinman@columbiabasinherald.com