Complaints lead to 9 arrests at low-income Tri-Cities complex. Fentanyl, meth seized

Wendy Culverwell
·2 min read
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Complaints about drug use and sales at a low income apartment complex in central Kennewick led to nine arrests.

The Tri-City Metro Drug Task force investigated the continuing complaints about drug use and sales around West Clearwater Avenue and Union Street, leading to a search warrant at the Nueva Vista Apartments.

Nueva Vista is a 32-unit project of the Kennewick Housing Authority built in 2015 to serve extremely low-income families. The housing authority supported the task force’s investigation.

Lona Hammer, executive director, said she couldn’t comment on the specific investigation for privacy reasons. But the authority is committed to safety and encourages tenants to report suspicious activity. The authority reports suspected criminal behavior to local and federal law enforcement, she told the Herald.

Evicting criminal tenants can be a lengthy process, she said. Renters are protected by Washington’s robust Landlord Tenant Act protections, which require lengthy documentation.

Officers arrested nine adults either in or near 386 N. Union St., Apt. 140, and seized methamphetamine, fentanyl pills and fentanyl power, according to the task force.

The drug task force arrested:

  • Christopher Meyer, 39, of Kennewick, delivery of a controlled substance

  • Cody Camden, 34, of Kennewick, delivery of a controlled substance

  • Christopher Cook, 30, of Kennewick, delivery of a controlled substance

  • Juanita Rocha, 21, of Kennewick, possession of a controlled substance

  • Malcolm Slack, 26, of Kennewick, possession of a controlled substance

  • Edgar Soloranzo-Vazquez, 30, of Kennewick, arrest warrants

  • Evangelina Chavarin, 21, of Pasco, warrants

  • Avery J. Brooks, 23, of Kennewick, warrants

  • Avery D. Brooks, 42, of Kennewick, warrants

Benton County jail records on Monday show Avery D. Brooks, Avery J. Brooks, Camden, Cook, Meyer and Slack were in custody on Sept. 11 while Rocha was not. No information was available about the booking or custody status of Soloranzo-Vazquez or Chavarin.

The investigation was a cooperative effort of the Kennewick, Richland, Pasco and West Richland police departments, the Benton County sheriff’s and prosecutor offices, Tri-Cities DEA, Nueva Vista Apartments and the Housing Authority of Kennewick.

The Tri-City Metro Drug Task Force consists of all local law enforcement as well as prosecutors to combat narcotics trafficking, illegal gun transactions and criminal gang activity in the region.