A Sequim man accused of trafficking large amounts of heroin and methamphetamine into Clallam County has pleaded guilty to lesser charges in federal court.
Daniel Allen Percival, 35, pleaded guilty Aug. 11 to single counts of distribution of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
He originally was charged with two counts of distribution of a controlled substance — heroin and meth — and felon in possession of a firearm after a months-long investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team.
Defense attorney Jeffrey Steinborn and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Vogel and Marci Ellsworth agreed on a recommended sentence for Percival of six years, eight months in prison.
Judge Ronald Leighton, who is not bound by the recommendation, scheduled a sentencing hearing for Nov. 17 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma.
According to the plea agreement, OPNET and the DEA used a confidential source to purchase from Percival 12 grams of heroin Feb. 7, 12 grams of heroin Feb. 8, 28 grams of meth Feb. 28 and 223 grams of meth March 22.
Percival, who was on federal probation for a prior drug trafficking conviction, was arrested after trying to hide from law enforcement in the attic of his Gales Addition home March 27, authorities said.
DEA agents said they seized 159.1 grams of suspected heroin, 37.3 grams of suspected cocaine, 46 pills of Ecstasy, 1,875 grams of suspected marijuana, 12 firearms and more than 100 rounds of ammunition from Percival’s residence, the plea agreement said.
Percival admitted to taking the firearms in exchange for drugs, according to the court filing.
OPNET officials had received several complaints about suspected drug activity at the house, Detective Sgt. John Keegan has said.
The DEA became involved because of the large amount of drugs believed to be trafficked from out of state, Keegan said.
Rob Ollikainen is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsula dailynews.com.
