CLARKSTON, WA – Following a two-month investigation by the Quad Cities Drug Task Force, a 32-year-old man was arrested Wednesday on multiple drug charges. According to court records, Miguel Angel Banaga was booked into the Asotin County Jail on one count of Possession With Intent to Deliver and four counts of Delivery of a Controlled Substance.
A Probable Cause Affidavit says Banaga was believed to be selling narcotics, Methamphetamine, and Fentanyl in the Clarkston area.
The document says a search warrant was obtained from an Asotin County judge on Tuesday. The following day, law enforcement officers from the task force and Asotin County Sheriff’s Office, along with detectives from the Clarkston and Lewiston police departments, executed that search warrant in the 1200 block of 14th Street at around 10:50 a.m.
“While enroute the surveillance team advised of a male leaving the apartment on foot and visually identified him as Banaga,” the affidavit says. “I, aided by several other units, made initial contact with Banaga in the 1100 block of 14th Street and detained him in handcuffs.”
Banaga was informed of the search warrant and officers secured his keys and cell phone. They then went to Banaga’s apartment, knocked, and announced themselves. No one opened the door, so they forced the door open since his keys did not open the deadbolt, the document says.
Inside the apartment were two other individuals, a man and a woman, and they were detained until the apartment was cleared.
Robert Rex Eller (37) was arrested on a warrant out of Canyon County and the female was transported to a local hospital due to a medical event, the affidavit says.
Detectives asked Banaga if there would be any drugs in his apartment.
“When I mentioned items like scales and tools commonly used during the sale of narcotics, Banaga stated he did have a scale and claimed it was for cooking,” the affidavit says.
While completing the search warrant officers reportedly found a scale and plastic tub in Banaga’s bedroom.
“Banaga’s room was also filled with numerous pieces of paraphernalia; tooters, pipes, burnt tin foil,” according to the document. “Next to the scale detectives also located items, which based on training and experience, could be consistent with making Crack. Several .22 rounds were also found on Banaga’s bed.”
In the second bedroom, which was believed to belong to Eller and the female, detectives reportedly located a small chunk of Methamphetamine and various pieces of paraphernalia, according to the affidavit, which adds that a box of 9mm bullets was found in the female’s purse.
In addition, Banaga allegedly had Methamphetamine in his front pocket when he was arrested and subsequently searched.
“The Methamphetamines, which appeared to be at least a couple of grams, [was] also collected,” the affidavit says.
