PORT ANGELES — Seven Port Angeles and Sequim residents have been arrested for investigation of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance during a police investigation into a prescription medication operation.
All seven suspects were booked into the Clallam County jail Friday and remained in jail Saturday afternoon.
The cases will be referred to the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review and charging decisions, said Detective Sgt. Jason Viada of the Port Angeles Police Department, serving as spokesman for the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team, or OPNET.
The cases resulted from an investigation by OPNET — an interagency anti-drug task force — into the unlawful sale and distribution of prescription medication, Viada said.
OPNET purchased controlled substances from several people during the course of the investigation, he said.
“Washington state law makes little distinction between the unlawful sale of Oxycodone and the sale of methamphetamine,” Viada said.
Probable cause for the arrests developed during the investigation, he said.
The seven people arrested are:
■ Cheryl Possinger, 53, of Port Angeles, who was arrested when a search warrant was served on her vehicle.
■ Dalassa Lundgren, 41, of Port Angeles, who was arrested during the service of a search warrant in the 2200 block of West 18th Street.
■ Trina Mills, 53, of Port Angeles, who was arrested during the service of a search warrant in the 900 block of West Lauridsen Boulevard.
■ William Purkey, 28, and Kayla Howell, 20, both of Port Angeles, who were arrested during the service of a search warrant in the 500 block of Kemp Street.
Purley also was being held on multiple failure to appear warrants.
Howell also was being held on a warrant for failure to comply.
■ Paul Warrick, 56, of Sequim, who was arrested during the service of a search warrant in the 300 block of East Cedar Street.
■ Jason Hartlein, 34, of Sequim, who was arrested during the service of a search warrant in the 300 block of East Cedar Street.
Each case was reviewed by the Clallam County Prosecutor’s Office, and warrants were reviewed by a Superior Court judge prior to any of the searches, Viada said.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
