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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Police: Man tossed meth from pickup

Two men arrested after alleged sale goes bad

Local and federal authorities say they thwarted the sale of a pound of methamphetamine at a West Central home Wednesday evening when the alleged seller tossed the drugs out a vehicle window while driving along Interstate 90.

Members of the Investigative Drug and Spokane Regional Drug Task Force staked out a house in the 2600 block of West Sharp Avenue following a tip that a large quantity of meth would be sold to Henry P. Bevans III, 30, at the address. Gustavo Martinez-Gomez, 40, arrived around 7 p.m. carrying a red bag into the residence, according to court documents. He emerged a short time later still clutching the bag.

A detective and a U.S. Drug Enforcement agent followed Martinez-Gomez for about 45 minutes around town. They then saw him toss a “volleyball-sized object (that) appeared to be a pound of Methamphetamine wrapped in plastic and grease” as he left I-90 eastbound at Argonne Road near Spokane Valley High School, according to court documents. Martinez-Gomez was pulled over and the package believed to be drugs were recovered.

Martinez-Gomez, whose blue Chevy pickup was registered to a Mabton, Wash., address, said under questioning that he was in town to sell the drugs to Bevans for $9,000, police contend. When Bevans did not have the money as Martinez-Gomez first arrived, the two planned to meet later in the evening to complete the transaction, authorities said, adding that the package was wrapped in grease to throw police dogs off the scent. A search of Bevans’ house netted items thought to be used in preparing meth for sale, including digital scales, cellphones, packaging material and an amount of meth investigators said exceeded a “user amount.”

Both men were booked into Spokane County Jail on Wednesday. Bevans appeared in Spokane County Superior Court on Thursday, where he received an $11,000 bond on charges of possession with intent to deliver. Martinez-Gomez was released after his appearance.