Sequim man arrested on drug charges

A 62-year-old Sequim man was arrested in late September after detectives with the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET), acting on information passed from an informant to the Sequim Police, found heroin in his residence one block away from Helen Haller Elementary School.

Andrew J. Fransone was arrested for Possession of Heroin with Intent to Deliver without incident on Sept. 26.

According to OPNET officials, the Sequim Police Department received information that Fransone was in possession of heroin and that he may be selling it in close proximity to the school; Sequim Police passed along the information to OPNET detectives who assumed the case.

OPNET members obtained and served a search warrant at Fransone’s residence, where they found 5.2 grams of heroin — less than expected, law enforcement officials said.

According to OPNET, Fransone admitted to detectives that he possessed more heroin but not all of it was his, and that he had given some of it to a friend. He also admitted to detectives that there would likely be evidence of drug dealing on his phone.

Fransone was released from jail on Sept. 27 and served a protection order to keep him from contacting or coming near the reporting party. Fransone, however, promptly violated the protection order and was once again arrested, OPNET officials said.

Fransone posted bail on Oct. 1 and now awaits trial.