Married couple named in meth-ring indictment

A married couple is suspected of conspiring in the same methamphetamine ring as a man arrested in Spokane Valley Tuesday, according to court records. Natasha M. Martin and her husband, Dean V. Martin, are named in the same federal indictment as Ian M. Harris, who was arrested Tuesday after investigators searched a warehouse in Spokane Valley. Harris pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to the federal drug trafficking charges. The Martins are also suspected of distributing drugs out of their Spokane Valley home in the 2600 block of North Coleman, unsealed court documents show. The Martins are now in custody, authorities said. They were arrested by federal investigators on Thursday morning. Harris leases a warehouse at 316 S. Dishman Road that was searched by Spokane County Sheriff’s Office investigators Tuesday morning following a report of a gunshot there. Another man, Shawn Mertes, 36, was arrested on weapons charges and posted bail of $1,000 Wednesday. Deputies responding to the reports of the gunshot learned the property was part of an active investigation with the North Idaho Violent Crimes Task Force. FBI senior agent Frank Harrill confirmed their investigation at the Dishman Road property is connected to the indictment of Natasha and Dean Martin, and Harris. Harris’ charges stem from incidents beginning in early 2012 when he allegedly conspired with Natasha Martin and Dean Martin to deal meth, according to the indictment. Harris allegedly dealt more than 50 grams of meth on June 14 last year and one of the Martins distributed meth on March 13 and March 22, according to the indictment. The Martins are also believed to have distributed meth on June 14 from their home, where a minor child lived at the time, court records say. . The property at North Coleman Road was raided in 2004 by Washington State Patrol detectives looking for stolen vehicles. Four people were arrested inside the home on a variety of drug charges, previously published reports said. During the raid, detectives were looking for Natasha M. Collett, who took her husband’s last name of Martin in 2007. She served time in jail in 2006 for possession of stolen property, identity theft and possession of methamphetamine. The home is owned by Martin’s mother, Emiko Collett, according to county records. She confirmed on Wednesday night that her daughter and her husband live at the Coleman Road residence. A relative told The Spokesman-Review that Harris reportedly bought a car from Martin, but they had a falling-out when he didn’t finish payments on the vehicle. Harris was sentenced in 2006 to two years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of meth, court records show. He was also sentenced to 13 months in prison in 2004 for possession of meth, in addition to several other felony charges, according to records.