Man Admits Drug Plot

A Spokane man admitted Friday that he made plans to buy a large quantity of cocaine a month after 29 people were arrested in “Operation Doughboy.”

Nelson E. Mariani, 45, of N7225 Country Homes Blvd., pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a kilogram of cocaine.

He faces a range of 46 to 57 months in prison when he is sentenced May 9 by U.S. District Court Judge Fred Van Sickle.

Mariani was arrested in late September after making plans to buy the kilo of cocaine for $23,000 from John Sidney Drake, who was a Lincoln County drug counselor.

Drake was arrested two days earlier, and agreed to help investigators in exchange for a lighter sentence.

Now, Drake and Mariani are scheduled to testify in the Feb. 13 trial of remaining co-defendants Keith Steven Young, 47, of Electric City, Wash., and Edelmire “Eddie” Tamiz, 38, of Pasco.