Sifton homeowner suspect in drug sales

The owner of a Sifton-area home raided Thursday by the Clark-Vancouver Regional Drug Task Force and her boarder are the primary suspects in an investigation into alleged drug trafficking out of the house.

A search warrant affidavit filed in Clark County District Court indicates that investigators suspect homeowner Leslie E. Dyson, 45, who lives at the residence, and her boarder, Katelynn M. Misener, 24, may have been involved in selling heroin and methamphetamine out the house at 7120 N.E. 131st Ave.

Charges have not yet been filed against either women in connection with the raid, said Mike Cooke, who heads the regional drug task force. Misener, who has a criminal history of misdemeanor thefts, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of methamphetamine possession in connection with a different case. Dyson, who has no criminal history, was not arrested during the raid.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office had received several complaints from neighbors regarding suspected drug activity at the house and finding drug paraphernalia in their yards from the house’s visitors, according to the affidavit by sheriff’s Detective Brian Kessel.

Kessel conducted surveillance on the house several times in September, according to the affidavit.

“During my surveillance, I noted significant short-term traffic at the residence,” Kessel wrote. “Based on my training, knowledge and experience, this is consistent with a residence that is involved in distributing controlled substances.”

An informant also had bought heroin from Misener and provided law enforcement with the drugs, Kessel wrote. The drugs tested positive for heroin, Kessel wrote. The informant reported seeing a digital scale, packaging material, paraphernalia and a heroin supply inside the home, according to the affidavit.

Members of the regional drug task force served a search warrant Thursday at the house, which is near Heritage High School. The Southwest Washington Regional SWAT team assisted due to the high number of people believed to be living there. Northeast 131st Avenue was closed for more than an hour between 76th Street and Fourth Plain Road.

Investigators seized digital scales, packaging materials and records of drug transactions. They also found small amounts of heroin and methamphetamine. This evidence will be sent to the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for possible charges related to delivering controlled substances and maintaining a drug house, Cooke said.

During a two-hour period, law enforcement also arrested 12 of the 19 people found inside the house, including Misener.

Misener appeared Friday in Superior Court on suspicion of methamphetamine possession and was held in lieu of $10,000 bail. Judge David Gregerson appointed Vancouver attorney Shon Bogar to defend her. She is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 10 on the charge.

The other 11 people arrested were Lindze L. Lawrence, 26, Kristie D. Olinger, 40, Angie M. Wilde, 41, Brandon K. Trimbo, 22, Heather S. Eck, 22, and Austin T. Collins-Thorp, 20, Benjamin G. Bray, 31, Clark B. Lyle, 34, Kevin C. Caldwell, 43, Jacob E. Nelson, 29, and Toni L. Brill, 23.

Caldwell appeared Thursday in Superior Court on suspicion of failing to complete work crew related to a third-degree theft sentence. Gregerson ordered that he serve 20 days in the Clark County Jail in lieu of work crew.

Nelson and Brill were held on probation violations.

Several of the other suspects were booked into jail on District Court warrants in Clark and Cowlitz counties and released on their own recognizance.

Cooke said the raid set an “unofficial record” with the most number of people located at a single search warrant location.