Wanted, Convicted Felon, Found in Unlawful Possession of a Pistol
While checking on a suspicious vehicle, Spokane Valley Deputies arrested a suspect found in the backseat of the car after they learned he had a valid felony warrant for his arrest. After his arrest, they determined he is a convicted felon and was unlawfully in possession of a handgun and ammunition.
On April 19, 2019, at approximately 1:10 a.m., Spokane Valley Deputy Veronica Van Patten stopped to check on a suspicious vehicle parked in a parking lot in the 15700 block of E. Broadway. Just before, Deputy Van Patten ran the license plate of the car and learned the registered female owner of the vehicle had a warrant for her arrest.
As Deputy Van Patten approached the vehicle, she observed the registered owner was asleep and seated in the front passenger seat. A male, later identified as 24-year-old Reynee D. Moore, was in the back passenger seat and immediately noticed Deputy Van Patten’s presence. His left hand moved behind his back as he attempted to conceal a black and white bandana. When Deputy Van Patten requested he roll down the window or open the door, Moore appeared very nervous and stared at her of several seconds before eventually opening the door.
Deputy Jason Hunt, who arrived at the location to assist, detained the owner of the vehicle pending the verification of her warrant. She told Deputy Van Patten she was a heroin addict, but no narcotics were inside her vehicle and gave consent for the search of her vehicle.
During Deputy Hunt’s contact with Moore, he provided a false name, and his story differed from the female’s. With rising suspicion of criminal activity, Deputy Hunt had Moore exit the vehicle. As he did, Deputy Hunt observed a holster and a tube of “Gun Grease” where Moore was sitting and detained him.
With consent to search, Deputy Hunt checked the backseat and found a black and white bandana in between the seat back and cushion. Wrapped inside the bandana, he located a loaded .25 caliber, stainless steel Bauer pistol, including one live cartridge in the chamber.
A check of Moore’s correct name revealed a valid felony warrant for his arrest. During a search after his arrest, a holster was found on his right hip. Moore claimed it was a phone holder, but Deputy Van Patten noted the holster had a vertically open center making it unlikely a phone wouldn’t fall through. Inside a backpack owned by Moore, Deputy Van Patten also located a box of .25 caliber ammunition. A criminal history check showed Moore had been convicted of Residential Burglary in 2014 which precluded him from legally possessing a firearm.
The female owner of the vehicle’s warrant was checked and the originating agency decline to extradite her from Spokane County. After a search of her vehicle, she was released without being charged.
Moore was transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail for the felony warrant and a new felony charge of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm 1st Degree.
The pistol, ammunition, and holster were seized as evidence.