Police reported finding more than $500,000 in illegal drugs in a vehicle on July 14.
One suspect arrested in connection to a bust of approximately 26,000 fentanyl pills and 1,000 grams of heroin in July pleaded guilty to related charges on Monday in Lewis County Superior Court.
Another woman who was allegedly involved prepares to do the same next week and a third alleged participant is currently scheduled to go to trial in September.
Adam Collier, 36, of Scottsdale, Arizona was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver that includes a “deadly weapon special verdict” while Erika Cardenas-Sanchez, 32, and Marlen Cardenas, 19, both of Phoenix, Arizona, were charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and possession of heroin.
All three were held on $250,000 bail.
A 17-year-old juvenile girl was also arrested in relation to the bust and a child was placed into the custody of Child Protective Services.
The three adults pleaded not guilty at their arraignment hearings on July 23, but on Monday, Collier elected to change his plea to guilty and was released from the custody of the Lewis County Jail on a $25,000 unsecured bail, according to court documents.
Collier is scheduled to return to Lewis County Superior Court on February 4, 2021.
The Superior Court calendar shows Cardenas-Sanchez is scheduled to change her plea and be sentenced on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Marlen Cardenas, the youngest of the three, is scheduled to go to trial on Sept. 14.
According to the prosecutor’s affidavit, police had been tipped off that a drug transaction was going to take place on July 13 in Chehalis, where 40,000 fentanyl pills were supposed to be sold.
JNET members set up in the location the transaction was supposed to take place and converged on the suspected vehicle that was occupied by the trio, the 17-year-old juvenile and a child. Collier was also reportedly found to be unlawfully in possession of a firearm.
JNET seized 26,000 pills of fentanyl and 1,000 grams of heroin from the vehicle that they valued at $535,000.
