More than $12,000 in currency is taken into evidence from Second Street drug case. / Courtesy photo by Centralia Police Department
Updated at 3:47 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A 28-year-old man who was a primary suspect in a case four years ago in which local police and the Drug Enforcement Administration recovered more than 12 pounds of methamphetamine was arrested today at his Centralia home, where officers seized about five pounds of meth, three passenger vehicles and more than $12,000 cash.
A half dozen members of the Centralia Police Department served a search warrant this morning at the 200 block of West Second Street.
Miguel Perez-Espinoza was arrested without incident and booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, according to police.
Sgt. Jim Shannon said this morning’s events were very low key. They waited until the children went to school, and then just knocked on the door and asked to talk with their suspect, he said.
The original investigation into Perez-Espinoza’s activities began in September 2010, when officers of the Centralia Anti-Crime unit working in cooperation with the DEA turned up in excess of 12 pounds of methamphetamine from a location in the 100 block of Elma Drive, according to Shannon. Police believed after that seizure, Perez-Espinoza fled the United States, presumably to Mexico to avoid prosecution, according to Shannon.
Toward the end of last year, the Anti-Crime team got information he had come back to town and resumed his drug trafficking, Shannon stated in a news release.
“Through surveillance, interviews and data mining we identified several members of his organization,” Shannon stated.
In August, officers served a search warrant in the 3100 block of Ives Road and ended up arresting three suspects, thought to be co-conspirators with Perez-Espinoza: They are Christian Ayon Felix, 30; Diego A. Vazquez, 22; and Erik M Nava, 35; all of Centralia, according to police. Shannon said slightly less than one pound of methamphetamine and $2,300 in cash were found at that location.
“I think the takeaway, is when we conduct a drug investigation in this city, it doesn’t matter how long it takes or how far you go, we will eventually catch up to you,” Shannon said.
He said they plan on making more arrests in the case.
Perez-Espinoza’s wife was present when police arrived, but has not been arrested, according to Shannon.
The vehicles they impounded include 2007 Chrysler Sebring, a 2010 VW Jetta, and a 2004 Ford Expedition.
Shannon said whatever becomes of the case from Elma Drive in 2010 in under the purview of the DEA.
The estimated current price of meth, by the pound, is $8,000 to $10,000, he said.
Roughly five pounds of methamphetamine found today following search of Centralia home. / Courtesy photo by Centralia Police Department
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Im impressed with the way cpd handled this arrest.
You hear some really crazy stuff these days about how
police pull off raids. They don’t consider who or what
is involved. I think it’s great that they were low key and took
the time to consider the children. Great job CPD.
What gets me is the part of the story in which officers waited until children went to school before busting the suspects for possession of FIVE POUNDS of meth. I wonder how many of these guys are even in this country legally, which automatically makes me a racist, I suppose.
send him away for a long time, then let him out, execute him and the cut his remains into 4 quarters and ship them to four points on the compass furthest away from each…………okay a bit over board? Then just lock him up for a long time. Although in prison he would just run with the Mexican mafia so what do we do?
yay. Next
Hope bail is set at more than he can afford, or he’ll be gone again.
He should be tucked in for a long time. The jail roster shows him being held on a U.S. Marshals warrant too.
now the question-will he be able to post bail and skip to mexico to make more meth and then return in a couple years to continue to sell?
Great job, Centralia PD! And kudos for keeping the actual bust low key, as well. I realize it’s not always safe or feasible to do so, but it’s nice to hear that it was successful in this case.