Undocumented man facing federal charges after Mattawa drug bust

MATTAWA — An undocumented Mattawa resident was indicted on federal charges Tuesday in connection with a drug bust last Wednesday that recovered around five pounds of meth, culminating a six-month investigation and a raid that local law enforcement said put a major dent into the area’s drug trade.

Joaquin Guzman-Gurrusquieta, 29, is facing charges in a federal court of felon in possession of a firearm, alien in possession of a firearm and violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. According to local law enforcement officials, Guzman-Gurrusquieta has been deported more than once, only to reenter the United States.

Last Wednesday’s raid was a joint effort between the Mattawa Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, when law enforcement served two search warrants for properties in the 200 block of Fourth Street.

Both Guzman-Gurrusquieta and Kennewick resident Enrique Osoria-Zamora, 43, were outside when law enforcement approached, according to Mattawa Police Chief Joe Harris. Osorio-Zamora was arrested for outstanding misdemeanor warrants, Harris said, and neither resisted arrest.

During a search of the residences and Guzman-Gurrusquieta’s truck, law enforcement discovered around five pounds of meth, according to law enforcement. No narcotics were found on the suspects’ persons, according to Harris. Police estimated that Guzman-Gurrusquieta, suspected of dealing the meth locally, was putting about a kilo of the drug onto the street every week — a very significant quantity for the south county area, Harris said.

Two firearms, a .22 caliber revolver and a 9mm pistol, were also recovered during the raid.

Harris declined to say where investigators believe Guzman-Gurrusquieta, who is not believed to have manufactured the narcotic, procured the sizable quantity of meth, as the investigation is ongoing.