News Article

From the Daily Record, dated June 21st, 2006...

Pair of local drug dealers sentenced to prison

By TRAVIS HAY

A pair of Ellensburg residents pleaded guilty to various drug-related charges and were sentenced to a combined 46 months in prison last week.

Tara Lynn Hawk, 35, and Curtis D. Cruz, 49, were arrested on May 3 following a four-month long narcotics investigation conducted by Kittitas County Sheriff's Office detectives. According to Kittitas County Deputy Prosecutor Mark McClain, Hawk and Cruz entered guilty pleas to delivery of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana with the intent to delivery and possession of methamphetamine. Hawk also pleaded guilty to intimidating a witness and received a 26-month prison sentence to cover all counts; Cruz, who was not implicated in the witness intimidation, received a 20-month prison sentence.

When law enforcement officers executed the search warrant at the Killmore Road residence where Hawk and Cruz were apprehended in May they discovered marijuana plants, marijuana packaged for sale, scales, and packaging material, which led to the drug-dealing charges.

“Neither Ms. Hawk nor Mr. Cruz had ever been in trouble with law enforcement before what appears to have been a downward spiral of drug addiction,” McClain said.

He said he received phone calls from family and friends of Cruz and Hawk who found the drug allegations to be “unbelievable,” adding that “there is no doubt they were involved in methamphetamine and marijuana trafficking.”

During their respective prison sentences Hawk and Cruz will be required to undergo chemical dependency treatment and will be on Department of Corrections community custody following their release from prison. Both are currently being held at the Kittitas County Jail awaiting transport to prison later in the week.

Ellensburg Update

Wednesday morning, I travelled to Ellensburg to start packing. Since my sister's been convicted to prison, I'm dumping the property. I called a realtor, to get the process started, and began doing some cleaning (by which I mean, throwing stuff out). :) My sister wants everything in storage, but that's just not going to happen. Much of what's in the house is utter junk, and I'm not going to lock it away for a year and a half.

So one niece is staying with an aunt, and the other is staying with the grandmother. I asked my nephew what he was going to do. "Well," he says, "I was thinking maybe I could come live with you."

Hmm, interesting. Only I'm not sure what to make of this. Personally, I think he's seriously in need of a positive influence. Unfortunately, I think the damage has already been done.

First, he has no goals. None. Nada. Whatsoever. His sister handed him a book on studying for the G.E.D. He says he's going to set it on fire.

Second, he's already addicted to tobacco. It's disgusting. He's 19, and sits in the living room rolling cigarettes. He ran out of cigarette paper, so tried using college rule. When that didn't work, he went and got a pipe (and complained about the taste.)

He won't do dishes. He says when he does get a job, he's just going to by paper plates, and plastic cups, and plastic cutlery, so he doesn't need to do dishes.

He won't do laundry, either. And he hasn't bathed the entire time I've been here. And he's still wearing the same clothes he was wearing yesterday morning -- and slept in.

So we spent most of the day packing up the house, along with his sisters and the aunt. All day, packing and throwing stuff out, and probably only got 40% of it. There's also a ton of crap in the house, belonging to the guy who got my sister in trouble in the first place (i.e. he's the one who asked her to mule the drugs).

I should mention, I read the report of the items the police confiscated. Five pot plants, pot and meth bagged for sale, drug paraphernalia, etc.

Ugh, my nephew just lit up yet another cigarette.

Oh, heh, earlier today he pulled a Corona out of the fridge. I told him, "You're not drinking that while I'm here." "Why," asks he? "Because you're 19," says I. "So if I come live with you, you're not going to let me drink?" "That's right," says I. Heh, heh. He wasn't too happy about that.

My sister's conviction was in yesterday's paper. AFter I get home, I'll transcribe it.

Speaking of home, I seriously want to be there now. This place is a dump! I can't believe my sister raised her kids here. Yuck! She hates cleaning, and it shows. I now know where my nephew gets it.

Sentencing

My sister has received a 26 month sentence, for possession and distribution of marijuana and methamphetamines, and for intimidating a witness. So now I have to go back to Washington, to clean out the house. Her stuff needs to go into storage, and the property needs to be put up for sale. My nephew isn't going to like this, as it means he's effectively being evicted. He can't drive, doesn't have a job, and hasn't even finished high school -- even though he's 19 and a half.

I just want all this to be over...