by AMANDA WINTERS

Sequim Gazette

A former Sequim woman is charged with dealing heroin to two different confidential informants with the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team in July 2011.

Cheryl Ann King, 51, is charged with four counts of delivery of a controlled substance, heroin, one count of unlawful use of a building for drug purposes and one count of possession of a controlled substance, heroin.

OPNET detectives said the informants, working independently and without knowledge of each other, purchased heroin from King at her First Street residence in Port Angeles four times.

King sold up to 3.5 grams of heroin at a time to the informants, detectives said.

During two of the purchases, the informant wore a covert transmitting device to intercept and record conversations during the drug deals, detectives said.

On Jan. 12, detectives executed a search warrant on King’s residence. King admitted to being a heroin addict, using at least once a day, and said she acted as a go-between for suppliers and “customers,” receiving a small amount of heroin as compensation, detectives said.

This is the third time in less than four years King has been charged with possessing heroin.

Previous arrests

In June 2008, King was pulled over by a Sheriff’s deputy while driving on Old Olympic Highway near Spring Road. She was arrested on a warrant and a search of her purse incident to arrest led to the discovery of three bags of black tar heroin, one bag of crystal methamphetamine and 16 pills of the narcotic painkiller Methadone, deputies said in a probable cause report.

King submitted an Alford Plea to one charge of methamphetamine possession as part of a plea deal with prosecutors in August 2008. The heroin possession charge was dismissed and she received a 30-day jail sentence, which was converted to 240 hours of community service. She also received 12 months community custody, which was terminated July 27, 2009.

On Aug. 11, 2009, Clallam County jail deputies advised the Sheriff’s Office of an anonymous tip that King would be bringing drugs into the jail while serving a 10-day commitment.

During the admittance process, no drugs were found on King’s person but during an interview she admitted she was pressured by female inmates via a jail telephone to bring drugs into the jail, deputies said.

An X-ray revealed suspicious foreign matter in King’s abdominal area and a subsequent body cavity search by Olympic Medical Center hospital staff resulted in the discovery of a package of heroin, 18 pills of prescription anti-anxiety medication alprazolam and 20 tablets of methadone.

King was charged in Clallam County Superior Court with possession of heroin, possession of methadone, possession of alprazolam and attempting to introduce contraband.

She pleaded guilty to all charges but possession of alprazolam as part of a plea deal and received 365 days in jail with 95 days suspended for two years and credit for time served.

Most recent heroin bust

King’s arrest is the latest in a string of heroin busts by OPNET, after agencies noticed a surge in the drug across the Olympic Peninsula during the summer.

King was formally charged Jan. 13 in Clallam County Superior Court and has an arraignment date of Jan. 20. She remains in custody at the Clallam County jail in lieu of $1,100 bail.

Reach Amanda Winters at awinters@sequimgazette.com.