Man Arrested For Allegedly Selling Drugs To Homeless People In Moses Lake

A Grant County man is behind bars after police say he was discovered selling narcotics at a motel in Moses Lake.

The Moses Lake Police Department says its Street Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at the Inn On 3rd Avenue in the 300 block of East 3rd Avenue on Thursday afternoon and arrested 28-year-old Efrain Castaneda, whose street name is "Gonzo."

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Investigators say they learned that Castaneda had been selling illegal drugs to the homeless population in and around Civic Park and found three transients inside his room during the execution of the search warrant.

Police also reportedly found approximately 3 ounces of methamphetamine, cash proceeds from recent drug sales, and a firearm Castaneda allegedly told detectives he used for protection.

The warrant was reportedly the second operation by law enforcement targeting illegal drug sales at Civic Park this week.

Castaneda was booked into the Grant County Jail for possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Authorities say this is the second time in the past six months that Castaneda has been arrested for selling drugs, and he's now facing federal charges for the crimes.