SPOKANE Two Franklin County corrections officers are due in court in front of a judge today after being arrested for allegedly trying to start a wholesale marijuana distribution business.
Kevin Still, a 21-year veteran at the Franklin County jail, and Sonya Symons, are expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Spokane after being arrested Thursday on federal charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics.
"This is a case of two individuals motivated by greed, thinking that they could make a fortune and that they were too smart to get caught," Franklin County Sheriff Richard Lathim said in a news release.
Symons, who's been a corrections officer for six years, and Still have a child together and are living in the same home in Pasco, authorities said.
Symons was arrested at her Pasco home, while Still was picked up in Spokane as he attempted to buy a large amount of marijuana, Lathim said.
A third person -- the dealer Still was allegedly buying the pot from -- also was arrested Thursday in Spokane. The third suspect, whose name was not released, is not a corrections officer and doesn't appear to be from the Tri-Cities, said Kennewick police Sgt. Trevor White, who leads the Tri-City Metro Drug Task Force.
Metro began investigating the two jailers about three months ago after getting a tip that Still and Symons were trying to get into the business of running large quantities of marijuana, Lathim said.
Detectives confirmed the tip through informants and surveillance and asked agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration to help with the investigation because they have additional surveillance tools, White said.
Lathim was then informed of the investigation and allowed the corrections officer to keep working while detectives built a case, White said.
"With (the sheriff) being involved, we and the DEA conducted a highly informative surveillance and information-gathering investigation," White said.
Detectives tracked both suspects Thursday morning and moved in for the arrest once they were given approval by federal prosecutors, he said.
"It seems to be that there might be family members somehow loosely involved and there was a lot of travel between Spokane and here, and here and Oregon," White said.
It's easier to build a case against someone simply by conducting controlled drug buys, but this case presented challenges because it was built "largely based on surveillance and having to put yourself in the right place at the right time and seizing those opportunities to be able to watch them ... taking a substantial step toward building their distribution business," White said.
Because the suspects are corrections officers, detectives also had to take extra precautions because "the potential is there that they would have access to some of that information," he said.
But, he added, it doesn't appear any of the investigation was compromised.
Still and Symons have been suspended without pay pending termination of employment at the jail, Lathim said.
-- Paula Horton: 582-1556; phorton@tricityherald.com
Similar stories:
Benton County's new gang task force makes big arrests
Benton County's new gang task force makes big arrests
The newly formed Benton County gang task force has made a number of notable arrests, sending a message that gangs won't be tolerated in the county, sheriff's officials said.
Last month, seven search warrants were served by gang team detectives, resulting in 17 possible felony charges against suspects, Sgt. Jon Law told Benton County commissioners Tuesday.
Detectives also have recovered 11 pounds of marijuana and 40 grams of methamphetamine. They also have had a busy week and will have logged eight search warrants in a 10-day period, he said.
Benton County task force makes several big arrests
Benton County task force makes several big arrests
The newly formed Benton County gang task force has made a number of notable arrests, sending a message that gangs won't be tolerated in the county, sheriff's officials said.
Last month, seven search warrants were served by gang team detectives, resulting in 17 possible felony charges against suspects, Sgt. Jon Law told Benton County commissioners Tuesday.
Detectives also have recovered 11 pounds of marijuana and 40 grams of methamphetamine. They also have had a busy week and will have logged eight search warrants in a 10-day period, he said.
Franklin official accused of embezzlement released from jail
Franklin official accused of embezzlement released from jail
A Franklin County official accused of embezzling an estimated $1 million from the county in the last decade was released from jail Tuesday without charges.
The state Attorney General's Office needs more time to investigate the allegations against Dennis M. Huston, the county's Public Works accounting and administration director, said Franklin County Prosecutor Shawn Sant.
Huston, 65, of Pasco, was arrested Thursday and jailed on a 72-hour hold for investigation of first-degree theft, money laundering and possessing cocaine. The hold expired Tuesday afternoon.
Kennewick woman accused of forging check
Kennewick woman accused of forging check
A 25-year-old Kennewick woman was arrested after allegedly cashing a counterfeit check that was made to look like it was from the Benton County jail.
Kennewick police began investigating the counterfeit check scam after the check was returned to a Kennewick grocery store as being not valid, said Mike Blatman, police spokesman.
Chelsea Lynn Johnson is accused of cashing a $412.42 check at the Red Apple Market that supposedly was from the Benton County Corrections Inmate Trust Fund, Blatman said.
Kennewick search leads to 4 arrests
Kennewick search leads to 4 arrests
A search of a home east of Kennewick for two men wanted on warrants ended in the arrest of three suspects on drug charges and a fourth on a warrant, authorities said.
The two men initially sought by Benton County sheriff's deputies were not found at the home at 210605 E. Perkins Road, said Deputy Joe Lusignan.
Deputies, however, did arrest the property owner, Daniel R. Hansford, 50, for possessing stolen property, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possessing meth.
Print
Email Story
