TRACYTON — Four people were arrested for firearms and drug violations early Dec. 14 following a five-week investigation by area law enforcement agencies.
A search warrant was served at a house in Tracyton, where tips to law enforcement indicated illegal activity had taken place, sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Scott Wilson said.
The tips “were validated prior to going before the judge with a search warrant request,” Wilson said.
Wilson said there were 13 people in the house, which he described as “uninhabitable, red-tagged by the health department, no running water, deplorable condition. Sanitation inside the house was abominable … The homeowner is aware of the situation, and I don’t know why the homeowner does not choose to try and correct the matter.”
Of the 13 people, two had outstanding felony warrants.
Derick L. Houston, 30, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. Elizabeth May Elliot, 35, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of methamphetamine.
When Houston was booked into jail, he was found to have two magazines and some bullets; Wilson said he didn’t know how those were missed at the scene.
Jeromy D. Cope, 35, was arrested on suspicion of heroin possession. Amber E. Hatfield, 37, were arrested on suspicion of heroin possession and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of selling drugs.
Wilson said all 13 people in the house were detained and questioned, but there was no probable cause to arrest others. “They were allowed to go on their merry way,” he said.
However, he added that he read the reports of the others and, “A lot of the other folks contacted there … admitted they were drug users, this was the only place they could go. It was generally a flop house.”
Wilson said all documentation was sent to the Kitsap County Prosecutor’s Office on Dec. 15. Other agencies involved included the West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Team, the KCSO Special Investigations Unit and Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
— Michelle Beahm is online editor for Kitsap News Group. She can be reached at mbeahm@soundpublishing.com.
