Deputies seize fentanyl, oxycodone, meth during Airway Heights traffic stop

A large amount of suspected fentanyl, oxycodone and methamphetamine were seized during a traffic stop Saturday in Airway Heights.

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped the vehicle around 1:35 p.m. for allegedly not having a front license plate and having excessively dark tinted windows near South Hayford Road and West Sixth Avenue, according to a sheriff’s office news release. Edvin N. Johnson, 33, allegedly did not pull over immediately and turned into a private drive on the 100 block of North Hayford Road, then stopped.

While searching the vehicle, deputies discovered about 1,000 pills believed to be fentanyl, or Mexis, in a plastic bag inside a locked safe, deputies said. They also found additional fentanyl pills and four pink, 10-milligram oxycodone pills.

A large amount of a white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine was found inside a plastic jewelry box, the sheriff’s office said. A field test of the substance showed a presumptive positive result for the drug.

Melissa S. Hernandez, the passenger, told a deputy several Mexis were scattered around where she was seated and deputies retrieved them, the release said.

The vehicle, drugs, cash and drug paraphernalia were seized.

Johnson, a four-time convicted felon, and Hernandez, also a felon, were booked into the Spokane County Jail on suspicion of two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, deputies said. Johnson’s bond was set at $10,000 and Hernandez’s bond was set at $2,500. Both remained in jail Wednesday afternoon.

Johnson was also charged with suspicion of second-degree driving while suspended and failure to stop/yield for law enforcement, the release said. He was issued infractions for suspicion of excess window tint and no insurance.

Detectives served a search warrant for the vehicle Monday and recovered a loaded pistol and additional small amounts of illegal drugs, deputies said. Johnson will be charged with suspicion of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.