This was updated at 11:59 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Officers arrested three people yesterday evening following an investigation into what the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office calls a “mid-scale” methamphetamine distribution ring being operated out of the Peppertree RV Park in Centralia.
Deputies had coordinated several undercover drug buys from two separate trailers in the park on Alder Street since last month, according to the sheriff’s office.
A little more than one ounce of methamphetamine was seized yesterday, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said this morning.
Booked into the Lewis County Jail were Edward A. Parnel, 38, Theresa M. Clark, 40, and Pattilyn D. Murphy, 29, all from Centralia, according to Brown.
The investigation was conducted by the sheriff’s Lewis Regional Crime Task Force and Centralia Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit, Brown said.
Brown said officers made a half dozen so-called controlled purchases in July and this month from Parnel and Clark who lived in two separate RVs at the park. A total of about two ounces was bought, according to Brown.
The street value is around $1,400 an ounce, she said.
Authorities decided to take down the operation yesterday and discovered the couple had moved to a residence on the 900 block of West Pear Street, she said.
Clark and Murphy were arrested about 5:20 p.m. while they were on their way to the Peppertree from Chehalis, according to Brown. Murphy’s 1996 Jeep Cherokee was seized.
Parnel was picked up at the Pear Street home less than an hour later, Brown said.
Officers learned the women had just bought the meth they were found with from a couple staying at a Chehalis motel. Those two were not arrested, but are “on our radar” now, Brown said.
The three are scheduled to go before a judge in Lewis County Superior Court at 4:15 p.m. today.
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Update at 6:30 p.m.: Defense attorney Bob Schroeter reciting the various charges in court this afternoon said:
Clark was charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance, methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to deliver; Murphy was charged with one count of delivery and one count of possession with intent to deliver; and Parnel was charged with one count of delivery and one count of attempted delivery.
The women were allowed to be released on $10,000 signature bonds. Parnel was ordered held on $10,000 cash or bond bail.
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CORRECTIONS: This story has been updated to reflect correctly when the two amounts of methamphetamine were taken into possession of law enforcement and to correct the spelling of Edward Parnel’s last name.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter