MILL CREEK — A Snohomish County man and woman are accused of selling a pound of heroin a day — $40,000 worth — from their storage units in Mill Creek.
The storage business owner called police in April after he became suspicious of increased activity at those units, court records show.
When police checked out the names of the renters, they found the man, Richard Shanahan, 35, had warrants for his arrest and was considered armed and dangerous.
The two units were rented in January and February by Shanahan and Melanie Hebert, 30.
Mill Creek police paid the pair a visit at the storage business in April. Shanahan reportedly had 1.6 ounces of heroin in his pockets. A police sergeant could see guns on the floor inside the storage unit, prosecutors wrote. Investigators obtained a judge’s permission to search the units, an effort that turned up 46 firearms, including an Uzi submachine gun. At least 33 of those firearms were determined to be stolen.
Police also found ledgers reportedly tracking the sales of drugs and guns. One of the ledgers revealed the couple was selling a pound of heroin a day, records show.
In May, Mill Creek police and federal agents searched another storage unit the pair had rented in Lynnwood. There, investigators reportedly found ammunition and additional ledgers.
Shanahan has been charged with drug possession and multiple counts of possessing stolen guns and illegally possessing guns. His criminal history includes four felonies involving drug and gun offenses, plus domestic-violence arrests.
Shanahan is being held on more than $1 million bail and is scheduled to go to trial in November. He has other pending cases in various courts. His address is described in court papers as “motel hopping.”
Prosecutors have indicated that Shanahan is likely to face federal charges as well, records show.
Hebert also has been charged with drug and gun crimes, and she has a trial scheduled for November. Her criminal history includes more than 30 failures to appear in court, in addition to five felony convictions including bail jumping, attempting to elude police and burglary.
She is being held on $250,000 bail.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.
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