Suspicious vehicle report leads to drug bust

PENDLETON – Pendleton police arrested three people after a call from an observant resident resulted in the discovery of a “substantial” amount of fentanyl.

On Friday at 10:24 p.m. police received a call reporting a vehicle in the parking lot of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in the 800 block of Southeast Court Avenue with foot traffic approaching the passenger side of the vehicle. Within seconds police arrived, and during contact with the vehicle’s occupants observed items consistent with controlled substance paraphernalia in plain view. At that time the vehicle’s occupants were detained for trespassing and controlled substance related offenses.

The continuing investigation found felony-level quantities of suspected fentanyl in pill and powder form along with suspected delivery of a controlled substance evidence. Azellya Carlson, 25, of Pendleton, Dillan Massey, 34, of Hermiston and Kurtis Paine, 42, of Umatilla were all charged with one count each of felony possession of a controlled substance and felony delivery of a controlled substance.

In a statement Pendleton police chief Chuck Byram stated, “I would like to personally thank the observant reporter who provided us with timely and accurate information that led to the arrest of these individuals and the seizure of a substantial amount of suspected fentanyl.”

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