Executive Summary
- A joint operation involving the FBI, Moscow Police, and Lewiston Police resulted in four arrests early Sunday.
- authorities tracked suspect Kevin Lee Tannehill from Spokane, Washington, alleging he was transporting fentanyl.
- Police seized methamphetamine and fentanyl during the stop at a Moscow convenience store.
- Cyra Cunningham faces fentanyl trafficking charges; others face possession and probation violation charges.
MOSCOW, Idaho — A coordinated law enforcement operation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and local police agencies resulted in the arrest of four individuals early Sunday morning in Moscow, Idaho, following an investigation into cross-state fentanyl trafficking.
According to police reports, the arrests occurred shortly after 1 a.m. at the Sunset Mart convenience store on Main Street. Officers from the Moscow Police Department, assisted by an FBI special agent and the Latah County Sheriff’s Office, apprehended Lapwai residents Cyra Cunningham, Janet Pakootas, Kevin Lee Tannehill, and Ruben Padilla following a surveillance operation.
The interdiction was initiated by the Lewiston Police Department, which had been monitoring the movements of Kevin Lee Tannehill. Investigators allege that Tannehill traveled to Spokane, Washington, to purchase powdered fentanyl. Upon tracking his return trajectory, Lewiston authorities notified the Latah County Sheriff’s Office and Moscow Police to intercept the vehicle if it entered their jurisdiction.
Law enforcement officials stopped the vehicle at the Sunset Mart. During the subsequent search, officers allegedly discovered methamphetamine and fentanyl on Cyra Cunningham’s person, and fentanyl on Janet Pakootas. Police also reported finding fragments of a glass pipe, which they allege Pakootas attempted to destroy inside the convenience store.
Following the investigation at the scene, authorities filed specific charges against the group. Cyra Cunningham was charged with possession of methamphetamine and trafficking in fentanyl. Janet Pakootas faces charges of possession of fentanyl and destruction of evidence. Kevin Lee Tannehill was arrested for a probation violation, and Ruben Padilla was taken into custody on an active Kootenai County warrant. All four suspects were booked into the Nez Perce County jail.
Investigative Outlook
This operation highlights the increasing reliance on multi-agency cooperation to disrupt narcotics supply chains operating between urban hubs like Spokane and smaller regional communities in Idaho. The involvement of federal agents alongside municipal and county police underscores the severity with which authorities are treating the transport of powdered fentanyl. As the investigation transitions to the prosecution phase, the coordinated tracking evidence provided by Lewiston Police will likely play a central role in the legal proceedings. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
