SEQUIM — The former owner of Sellin’ Style’ used car dealership in Sequim has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes.
Timothy P. Smith, 30, was arrested last February following a high-speed chase.
All of Smith’s charged co-conspirators, Kelsey J. Davis, Tammy R. Coburn, Holli A. Bell, Jacob E. Davis and Charles D. Aslin, have also pleaded guilty in the case.
Smith faces a mandatory minimum 10 years in prison and up to life imprisonment when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan on March 27.
According to records in the case, Smith and his cohorts were under investigation by federal law enforcement since 2011.
In particular, federal prosecutors said, Smith sold methamphetamine to a person working with law enforcement on multiple occasions in June, July and August 2013 at his car dealership on Old Blyn Highway east of Sequim.
In conjunction with a separate investigation and take-down of a larger drug ring, which was supplying methamphetamine to Smith and others, agents arrested Smith as he traveled back to Sequim from Kitsap County on Sunday evening, Feb. 23, 2014.
Shortly after his vehicle crossed the Hood Canal Bridge, the State Patrol pulled the car over. After initially stopping, the car sped away, traveling at speeds nearing 100 mph and weaving into the lane for oncoming traffic.
Troopers noticed white bags tossed from the car; inside was 1.6 pounds of methamphetamine, federal prosecutors said.
The car hit one set of spike strips and continued on.
After hitting a second set of spike strips the car came to a halt and Smith and his girlfriend, Kelsey Davis, were taken into custody. Davis had $4,000 in cash on her person, which she revealed in a monitored jail call to have been given to her by Smith during the police chase, prosecutors said.
The case was investigated by the FBI, federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET), a task force containing officers from Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Port Angeles Police Department, Sequim Police Department, Neah Bay Department of Public Safety, Elwha Klallam Police, LaPush Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Border Patrol, the Washington Department of Corrections, Washington State Patrol and the West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Team (WestNet).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory A. Gruber.
