A man is in custody after being flipped by the Pacific County Joint Drug Task Force and then allegedly burning a deal he was handed to avoid criminal charges. The man has been on law enforcement’s radar since early last year for allegedly peddling fentanyl.

Gabriel A. Garvin, 49, is alleged to have been responsible for handing over suspected fentanyl during undercover stings in mid- and late-January 2024 on unspecified dates. The task force used confidential informants to make controlled purchases.

The suspected fentanyl was sent off to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab, which notified the task force last June 19 that it was indeed fentanyl. Garvin was subsequently apprehended by the task force eight days later and allegedly agreed to speak with the investigators.

“Garvin advises us that he had been selling some but that there were other individuals also selling on the peninsula,” a task force officer stated in court records. “Garvin advised us that he wanted to work with DTF for case consideration.”

“Garvin signed a contract, admitting guilt to the buys, was released, and advised to keep in contact with the DTF. Garvin kept in contact for a few short weeks and then quit communication with the DTF, which violated his contract,” the officer added.

According to court records, the task force officer was working the Rod Run event on the peninsula on Sept. 7 and was flagged down by citizens. They reported Garvin was kicking a door to an apartment.

“As I looked over at the apartments where Garvin’s girlfriend resided, I observed Garvin knelt down by a window of the apartment trying to look in,” the task force officer stated. “I walked past several vehicles and yelled for Garvin by name to come over to my location.”

“As he walked toward me, there was nothing in his way to obstruct his vision of me being in my police uniform. As he got within 15 feet, I asked him what was going on, and he said nothing was going on. I told him that I had just been told that he was trying to kick in a door of the apartment to his girlfriend’s place and he said he wasn’t. I noticed that he was becoming more nervous as he got closer and began looking around,” the officer added.

Garvin reportedly told the officer he was going to leave since he didn’t do anything wrong. Subsequently, he turned around and took off running east on 10th Avenue. Officers reportedly set up containment of the area and momentarily lost track of him.

“I was standing in front of the residence when I heard someone yell that Garvin was in the shed out back,” the officer stated.

Garvin was subsequently detained and placed into handcuffs.

“While Garvin was being searched, a lock blade knife was located in his pocket; both blades on the knife measured 3.5 [inches] or longer,” the task force officer stated in court records. “Garvin also had some drug paraphernalia and personal items on him.”

According to court records, Garvin told the officers that he was attempting to see his child and denied kicking the door. He was subsequently released.

“Several days later I obtained a video from the incident off of the security camera footage from the apartments,” the task force officer stated. “In the video, it shows Garvin standing approximately 8-10 feet away from the door, which is open, talking to someone while a child is standing close to Garvin.

“The child walks in and Garvin notices it and starts to walk towards the door as the door shuts in front of him. Garvin then tries to kick the door to keep it from closing but fails. It then appears that Garvin then checks the doorknob to see if it’s locked, and when he realizes it is, he puts his shoulder into the door, trying to force it open.”

“Garvin then slightly turns and kicks the door again,” the officer added.

Garvin remained on the run until he was located by officers on March 26 and was found with an alleged controlled substance. He was arrested for first-degree burglary, disorderly conduct, and possession of a controlled substance.

He appeared in Pacific County Superior Court on March 27, and Judge Donald J. Richter set his bail at $50,000 and scheduled his arraignment for March 31.