PORT ANGELES — Nearly two dozen suspects have been arrested in a two-day roundup of alleged probation violators, including an alleged drug dealer who was assigned a public defender before posting $50,000 bail Saturday.
Authorities said Marie Joan Haller, 30, had $67,629 in drugs in her safe and $13,325 in cash at her Wildwood Terrace apartment when she and Matthew Steven Ennen, 29, were arrested last Tuesday in Operation Spring Cleaning, a sweep last Tuesday and Wednesday led by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Haller was arrested without incident inside the apartment, owned by the Peninsula Housing Authority.
Ennen was apprehended after jumping out of the second-floor window.
Ennen remained in jail Monday on $200,000 bond for investigation of possession of narcotics with intent to deliver.
A charge against Ennen is scheduled to be filed at 1 p.m. today in Clallam County Superior Court.
Haller will be arraigned at 9 a.m. Friday.
Ennen, wanted on a state Department of Corrections custody warrant, had been the subject of an investigation by the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team for about six months, authorities said.
Brian King, county Sheriff’s Office chief criminal deputy, said Haller’s neighbors had complained about potential drug activity indicated by “short-stay traffic” at Haller’s residence.
Judge Brian Coughenour set Ennen’s bail Thursday at $200,000.
Superior Court Judge Brent Basden set Haller’s bail at $50,000 at her first court appearance last Wednesday.
Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols had sought $250,000 bail.
Haller, who said she has been unemployed for five months, was appointed a public defender Wednesday on condition she file a financial statement by Friday.
She was charged Friday with two counts of possession with intent to deliver narcotics.
The multi-agency arrest-warrant team found a pound of heroin, 3 ounces of methamphetamine, drug packing supplies, a digital scale and $13,325 in cash at her apartment, according to the probable cause statement.
“Haller admitted that she sells drugs to support herself and her drug habit because she hasn’t had a job for 5 months,” according to the probable cause statement.
“Haller admitted she and Ennen ‘work’ together in their drug sales.”
Nichols argued in court last Wednesday that Haller had seven prior drug convictions and a history of failing to appear for court hearings.
“A number of people have asked about the bail disparity against Ms. Haller and Mr. Ennen,” Nichols said Monday.
At Haller’s hearing last Wednesday, Basden noted the seriousness of the charges and the discovery of written records of drug transactions that were allegedly found at Haller’s apartment.
“However, the court also is required to impose the least restrictive conditions possible,” Basden said, adding there were no allegations against Haller of violent criminal activity.
Most of the 22 people arrested in the roundup were apprehended on DOC warrants for alleged probation violations and incarcerated without bond in the county jail.
Two remained incarcerated Monday in the Forks city jail on DOC warrants.
Two whose names were on a list supplied by Detective Sgt. Tom Kuch of the Port Angeles Police Department were not incarcerated at the county or Forks jails as of Monday.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@ peninsuladailynews.com.
