SEQUIM — A businessman and another Sequim resident are in federal custody, and authorities are seeking a Port Angeles woman on charges relating to a major methamphetamine distribution ring.
Timothy P. Smith, 29, of Sequim, owner of Sellin’ Style car dealership in Blyn, and Kelsey A. Davis, 25, of Sequim were arrested after a high-speed chase in Jefferson County on drug trafficking charges Sunday.
Authorities seized about 1.6 pounds of suspected meth that was tossed from the car, U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan said in Seattle on Tuesday.
Smith and Davis have been charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine and maintaining drug involved premises, Durkan said.
Tammy R. Coburn, 47, of Port Angeles, has been charged with the same offenses but is at large.
Coburn is 5 feet tall, weighs 110 pounds, and has worn her hair both brown and blond, Clallam County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. John Keegan said.
He said that anyone who knows where Coburn is or knows anything about any of the three should contact local police or the Sheriff’s Office at 360-417-2459.
Davis is scheduled for a detention hearing Thursday in federal court in Tacoma, and Smith was in custody at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac.
“The charges in this case follow a lengthy investigation of Timothy Smith’s drug dealing in Clallam County,” Durkan said in a prepared statement.
Federal law enforcement officers involved were from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
They “worked closely with the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and other local partners” such as the State Patrol, Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Task Force and the West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Team, “to shut down the meth dealing which was a blight on the community,” Durkan said.
“I am pleased that this complex investigation involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies has resulted in the arrest of a prolific drug dealer in Clallam County,” said Clallam Sheriff Bill Benedict.
“This criminal enterprise has fueled too much personal misery and property crime in Clallam County,” he added.
According to the criminal complaint and police reports on the arrest, law enforcement investigations into Smith’s activities began in February 2012.
It gave the following description:
On several occasions Smith, Davis and Coburn each sold meth to a person working with law enforcement at the Sellin’ Style car dealership at 251 Old Blyn Highway.
The complaint detailed evidence, including audio and video recordings of drug-related activities on the property, and law enforcement officers observations of Smith’s meetings with known narcotics dealers from Clallam, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties.
“Smith’s distribution of narcotics has been at the center of various acts of violence for years,” it said.
“Vehicular assaults and robberies have been ordered or committed by Smith because of connections to the narcotics trade,” it added.
As Smith and Davis were returning to Sequim on Sunday, a State Patrol trooper pulled the car over on state Highway 104 west of the Hood Canal Bridge.
Smith stopped, then sped away, State Patrol said.
The chase reached speeds nearing 100 miles per hour and Smith frequently crossed into the lane for oncoming traffic, troopers said.
A spike strip was set to stop Smith. The car hit one set of spike strips and continued on.
The car stopped after second set of spike strips were deployed, the car came to a halt and Smith and Davis were taken into custody, troopers said.
White bags were tossed from the car during the chase, the State Patrol said.
Investigators retrieved the bags, and recovered 1.6 pounds of a substance suspected to be meth.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
