Prison for man found with heroin, meth, pills, firearms and blowtorch

COEUR d’ALENE — A 29-year-old Spokane Valley man who goes by “Texas” and was arrested for trafficking heroin and having a bagful of guns was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Dallas Cress was sentenced to five years fixed, five years indeterminate and fined $10,000, Dec. 1, in Coeur d’Alene First District Court for one count of trafficking heroin.

Additional felonies of possession of a controlled substance and being in possession of firearms while under the influence of drugs were dismissed as part of a plea arrangement.

Post Falls police stopped Cress’ Nissan Sentra after midnight last April in Post Falls after it left a known drug house, according to a report.

After removing a concealed and loaded .38-caliber revolver from Cress, police found a gram of heroin hidden in his ballcap, according to a police report.

Cress allegedly had baggies of methamphetamine in his pocket, as well as prescription pills and officers found more than an ounce of heroin in a lock box in a backpack and hidden in the foam lining of a gun case.

According to a report, officers found a single-shot derringer, and a 7.62 Tokarev in the backpack. A loaded Glock was found inside the car and a Remington rifle was in the trunk. Police found syringes and a blowtorch under the passenger seat.

Three cell phones, baggies and digital scales were also seized, as well as a roll of cash valued at $1,565, said police.

Cress told police the firearms were in the car because he had gone shooting that day, and that the cash was his rent money.

Cress allegedly told police he sold approximately 20 grams of heroin per week, and that he also uses the drug along with the prescription pills to manage his pain, according to court records.