Two Moses Lake men arrested in drug distribution case

MOSES LAKE — Two Moses Lake men were arrested, one of whom is being held in the Spokane County Jail, in connection with two search warrants served by the Moses Lake Police Department on Wednesday. Moses Lake Police Chief Dave Sands said federal charges are pending against the two men. 

“These are both being prosecuted at the federal level. If the prosecutions are successful, these subjects will be out for quite a bit longer than state-level prosecution,” Sands wrote in answer to a question from the Columbia Basin Herald.  

Gabriel Correa was booked into the Spokane County Jail on unspecified federal charges after he attempted to flee from law enforcement mid-afternoon Wednesday. Around the same time, MLPD officers served a search warrant and arrested Shawn McLanahan in another part of town. The Spokane County Jail Inmate Roster showed Correa still in custody Thursday afternoon. 

Detectives with the MLPD’s Street Crimes Unit are also assigned as task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and obtained federal search warrants for locations connected to both Correa and McLanahan.  

“As detectives conducted surveillance on Correa, he became suspicious, parking his car and fleeing on foot,” wrote MLPD Captain Jeff Sursely in a press release.  

Correa ran into a residence in the 500 block of South Adams Street, where officers continued surveillance.  

“Correa attempted to change his appearance and leave the residence; however, the costume change did not work,” Sursely said. “Correa was arrested as he attempted to walk out the front door.” 

The residence was searched after he was arrested, and additional subjects were removed from the house.  

"Detectives recovered approximately 10 ounces of methamphetamine, over an ounce of fentanyl powder, two firearms and the same satchel Correa had initially been holding when he fled on foot,” Sursely said. 

Correa was booked on federal drug trafficking charges, Sursely said.  

Detectives also served a search warrant in the 1800 block of West Lakeside Drive as part of an investigation into alleged methamphetamine sales from a shed on that property.  

“As part of the warrant service (Tactical Response Team), members used a covert water-bound approach to apprehend McLanahan as he attempted to flee out the back of the shed and away from TNT members arriving at the front of the property,” Sursely said. 

A search of the shed uncovered about eight ounces of methamphetamine, Sursely said, along with small quantities of LSD and psilocybin mushrooms. Detectives also found five firearms, one of which was confirmed as being stolen in 2014. 

“During the investigation, detectives discovered McLanahan regularly engaged in trading illegal narcotics for property stolen from local businesses by homeless individuals,” Sursely said. 

McLanahan was released pending a review of possible charges by the US Attorney’s Office, Sursely said. 

Moses Lake Mayor Dustin Swartz said the MLPD has responded when given a tough job. 

“Our streets are safer today than they were last week,” Swartz said. “We’ve asked a lot of the police department and they’ve really answered the bell.” 

    Narcotics and guns were recovered in connection with the arrest of Shawn McLanahan in Moses Lake.
  

    The Tactical Response Team vehicle waits outside a house on South Adams Street during the arrest of Gabriel Correa and the search of the residence.