Police Department

SPD Makes Drug Arrest

Sgt. Terry Preuninger, PIO

Friday, May 29, 2020 at 5:11 p.m.

Spokane PD makes drug arrest after being alerted by concerned citizen

On May 26^th, 2020 around 3:30PM an SPD officer was flagged over by a concerned citizen about suspected drug activity generating from a red mini-van near the area of Pine and Short.  The citizen informed SPD that they had been watching a significant amount of short stay foot traffic coming/going from the van since around 11:00AM.

There were two males and one female in the van when the officers initially pulled up.  The two males then got out of the van after noticing the officers.  The woman approached the officers and informed that the van belonged to her.  The two males denied being involved in any drug activity or being associated with the vehicle they had just exited.

One of the males, Samuel Pernell (64) has an extensive drug history in the Spokane area. Samuel is a three time convicted felon for possession of a Controlled Substance with intent to deliver.  Dispatch advised that Samuel had a new, local Felony warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver.  Samuel was detained pending confirmation of the warrant and the other male was informed he was free to leave.

While a pat frisk was being performed for officer safety, Samuel dropped a clear cylindrical container that was instantly recognized as a brownish substance that was likely heroin.  The substance was field tested and came back as presumptive positive for heroin.

At that time, Dispatch advised that Samuel’s felony warrant was confirmed. He was placed under arrest and searched incident to arrest.  During the search of a fanny pack, which was in Samuel’s right hand, the following items were located:

-Multiple un-used Hypodermic needles.

-2x empty thin metal Heroin containers.

-7.25x Hydrochlorothiazide tablets (Controlled substance; No Schedule; Perscription Only); packaged together in a "uniquely patterned dime bag"

-6x Buprenorphine Hydrochloride 8mg tablets (Controlled Substance; Shcedule 3); packaged together in the same "uniquely patterned dime bag"

-3x Acetaminophen & Hydrocodone 400mg tablets (Controlled Substance; Schedule 2); packaged together in the same "uniquely patterned dime bag"

-34 Suboxone 25mg tablets (Controlled Substance; Schedule 3).

-$697.55 USD and 10 cents Canadian.

Based on the controlled nature of the substances and the quantities, along with the amount of cash in small bills, the amount of observed short-stay foot traffic to and from the vehicle and the digital scale which was located where Samuel was sitting in the vehicle, it was determined that there was probable cause to arrest Samuel for Possession of a Controlled Substance (for the Heroin), and Possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver for the various pre-packaged pill types.

Samuel was transported and booked into Spokane County Jail on those charges.

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