20 pounds of meth, some heroin and pills seized from Pierce County home

TACOMA, Wash. – The Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office charged Gilda Yamiless Licea Richardo, 21, and Fransisco Silva, 40, with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver after they were found with more than 20 pounds of methamphetamine and a pound of heroin.

“We’ve wiped out the local meth labs,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “Now we see it delivered up the I-5 corridor and this is one of the largest seizures I can recall.”

On February 8 just before 5 a.m. while conducting a search pursuant to a warrant on 43rd Street in Tacoma, Lakewood Police arrested Silva and Licea Richardo. Silva admitted that he had meth in the house, but denied having heroin in the residence.

Officers found a one-pound package of suspected meth and a box containing nine one-kilo packages of suspected meth, a total of approximately 20 pounds. Officers also found one pound of heroin and several pills that the officers identified as Oxycodone in the home. In the bedrooms of both defendants officers found cash, totaling nearly $60,000, including $35,540 found in a suitcase.

Officers also found a Colt .38 caliber handgun and .38 caliber ammunition.

In an interview with detectives, Silva said he had lived in the residence for approximately four months and that his role had been to watch the residence and hand out narcotics to buyers. Licea Richardo brought the narcotics to the residence.

Bail for both Silva and Richardo was set at $500,000.00.

Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.