WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Warrants lead police to arrest 1 after finding drugs, guns, cash

When residents near 41st/Hinds texted about plain-clothes police activity last Friday afternoon, all we could find out was, warrant service. But now we know more. The report and photo are from SPD Blotter:

SPD Narcotics seized fentanyl pills, cocaine, xanax, methamphetamine, and cash while serving warrants last Friday in connection with an investigation into drug trafficking and money laundering in West Seattle.

Officers from the South Precinct’s Anti-Crime team arrested the 40-year-old suspect in a West Seattle parking garage and found he was carrying 62 fentanyl pills, 28 grams of cocaine, and a small number of xanax pills, as well as a handgun.

Narcotics detectives and the West and South Precinct’s Anti-Crime Teams then served warrants at two homes and a storage unit – in the 4700 block of 40th Avenue SW and the 3400 block of 41st Avenue SW – and recovered a .22 rifle, documents pertaining to money laundering, and additional narcotics, including 140 fentanyl pills, 10 grams of cocaine, 20 xanax pills, a small amount of meth and over $4,000 cash.

Investigators booked the suspect into the King County Jail for narcotics delivery and money laundering.

We’ll add anything more we find out about the suspect and his status.

Friend O'Dinghus January 28, 2020 (6:22 pm)

Way to go SPD! Keep up the great work!

Airwolf January 29, 2020 (9:16 am)

Thanks WSB. We’ll wait to find out the name and the parking garage location.

WSB January 29, 2020 (11:27 am)

Got the name for research purposes, now pursuing probable-cause docs for other details. His bail was set at $100,000 but he posted bond and got out after a day and a half.

uncle loco January 29, 2020 (12:50 pm)

Catch and release…even while carrying a firearm. It take it the alleged suspect isn’t a convicted felon?

WSB January 29, 2020 (1:05 pm)

$100,000 bail isn’t catch and release. For a nonviolent crime, bail doesn’t get much higher. Also, from the jail register, it doesn’t appear he was booked for a firearms violation, so there may not have been a crime there. His name is somewhat common and there was no middle name or initial listed, so I won’t be able to tell about a possible record until I get the probable-cause docs.

Spooked January 29, 2020 (2:21 pm)

I live on the 3400 block of 41st Ave SW, so this is one of my neighbors who was arrested. This is too freaky. I would really like to know who this was, or what house it was.

WSB January 29, 2020 (4:13 pm)

The suspect is now charged – his name is David Vasquez. The charging documents involve a long undercover investigation and I’m not even halfway through but wiil publish a separate followup a bit later. (The narrative involves other locations around WS so it’s not clear he was living there – it also mentions an apartment in The Junction, which is where he was arrested.) Also to someone’s point earlier – the charges say he IS a convicted felon and so is charged with unlawful gun possession as well as drugs and money laundering.

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