CENTRALIA — The Centralia Police Department executed a search warrant on a reputed drug house Wednesday morning where they seized drugs, weapons and cash, and arrested a 25-year-old male resident.

Montia Ewing
(Source: CPD)

According to Police Chief Greg Dodson, at 6:15 Wednesday morning, the Centralia Police Department’s High-Risk Entry Team, along with the ILEAS Region 8, 9 and 11 HRT Team executed a search warrant at a home in Centralia that had been under investigation for drug trafficking.

Dodson says officers initiated entry with “flash bangs” before kicking in the front and back doors to the residence.

Officers subsequently arrested a resident of the home, Montia Ewing. A search of the home reportedly revealed an AK47 type firearm, an altered 12 Gage shotgun, a fully loaded drum magazine, 26.4 grams of suspected Heroin/Fentanyl, 169 Grams of cocaine, 13 ecstasy pills as well as approximately $10,500.00 in cash.

Ewing was transported to the Marion County Jail to appear on three counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance with intent to deliver within a 1000 feet of a Church, two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, one count of Possession of Ammunition by a Felon and Armed Violence.

The Centralia Police Department will also be filing six more cases of Delivery of a Controlled Substance against Ewing over the next two days with the Marion County State’s Attorney as Investigators complete the details of multiple controlled buys that have been conducted over the last month.

Dodson reports that Ewing was also running an illegal food service business out of the basement of his residence in violation of city ordinances and zoning laws. Investigators believe the business was a cover for laundering money.

Dodson thanks Centralia High School for allowing law enforcement to stage in their parking lot and the use of the Annex to conduct their briefing.

He states that the message being sent with Wednesday’s operation is “Don’t sell drugs in Centralia or you will be their next target.”