According to court papers, the accused, Antonio Gutierrez-Cervantes, 29, of 149th Avenue in Tenino, has admitted to making methamphetamine deliveries up and down the Interstate 5 corridor in Thurston and Lewis Counties, "at least 20 times in the last four months."
During a court hearing Friday, Gutierrez-Cervantes was ordered held at the Thurston County Jail on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. His bail was set at $5,000. He has been an inmate at the jail since February 23, when he was booked on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. He is also being held on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE hold.
On February 19, a confidential informant purchased a half-ounce of meth from Gutierrez-Cervantes for $500 during an undercover operation in south Thurston County, court papers state. Members of the Centralia Police Department's Anti Crime Team subsequently obtained consent to search Gutierrez-Cervantes' girlfriend's trailer in Tenino and found the meth and marijuana, court papers state.
Centralia Police Sgt. James Shannon said Friday that the anti-crime team's narcotics investigation that led to Gutierrez-Cervantes' arrest is ongoing. The ant-crime team proactively investigates all types of crime in Centralia, Shannon said.
In another unrelated drug case, narcotics detectives arrested two men for allegedly selling heroin Thursday in the Big Lots parking lot on Marvin Road in Lacey during an undercover narcotics operation conducted by the West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Team, which includes law enforcement from Kitsap and Mason counties.
Jose Paul Tobon-Contreras, 25, of Lacey and Rigoberto Pino-Cruz, 32, of Olympia, are each accused in court papers of selling heroin to an undercover operative in the Big Lots parking lot Thursday. Both were being held Friday on suspicion of unlawful possession of heroin with intent to deliver. During a court hearing Friday, Tobon-Contreras' and Pino-Cruz's bail were each set at $5,000. Tobon-Contreras additionally has an Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE hold "for deportation proceedings," court papers state.
Jeremy Pawloski: 360-754-5445 jpawloski@theolympian.com
