PORT ANGELES — Baylee B. Nelson has been charged with allegedly possessing and trying to sell more than $7,600 worth of methamphetamine from his Sequim-area residence.
The 21-year-old was charged Tuesday with one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
He will be arraigned April 26 in Clallam County Superior Court.
The Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team alleged that Nelson was selling crystal methamphetamine to five or six regular customers from a residence on the 300 block of Taylor Ranch Road.
Nelson, who had no criminal history, was arrested without incident Thursday, OPNET’s Richard Larsen said in court papers.
Nelson was released from the Clallam County jail on his own recognizance Friday.
He was not in custody when he appeared in court Tuesday.
OPNET detectives found a mason jar inside a lock box in Nelson’s truck that contained 108.7 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine, Larsen said.
The large opaque crystals in the mason jar tested positive for methamphetamine and had a street value of about $7,609, detectives said.
“Also in the lock box was a digital scale with methamphetamine residue and 54 used and unused baggies used for storage and distribution of methamphetamine,” Larsen wrote in the affidavit for probable cause.
Nelson allegedly admitted that he had been selling methamphetamine for 1½ to 2 years.
“Nelson told detectives he has five to six steady customers and also sells to others in the Sequim area,” said Larsen, a Sequim police officer and drug task force detective.
Detectives obtained a warrant to search Nelson’s home Thursday morning and learned from others at the residence that Nelson had left for work, Larsen said.
Nelson was arrested a short time later.
Detectives said they removed a .22-caliber rifle from Nelson’s truck.
Nelson told Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden on Tuesday that he had complied with an order to surrender his rifle.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@ peninsuladailynews.com.
