LUMMI RESERVATION - A couple suspected of dealing heroin - often in the presence of their 7-year-old daughter - were arrested at their Sandy Point home Thursday, Nov. 15.

Undercover sheriff's deputies swarmed a brown run-down house at 4295 Salt Spring Drive at 10 a.m. to arrest Marc C. Oreiro, 35, and Coreen L. Finkbonner, 36. They were taken into custody without incident.

The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office had received more than 30 complaints, from "numerous" neighbors, about obvious drug use at the home in the past few months, said sheriff's Lt. Kevin Hester.

"This was a big concern in the community out there," Hester said.

Members of the Northwest Regional Drug Task Force made six undercover purchases of heroin from the couple, according to the sheriff's office. Several times the couple's daughter was in the room while they sold drugs, Hester said.

While carrying out a search warrant, deputies found $2,000 in cash, a handgun, about 2 ounces of heroin, a few grams of methamphetamine and several thousand dollars worth of stolen commercial crab pots.

Oreiro and Finkbonner were booked into Whatcom County Jail on investigation of maintaining a drug house, three counts each of possession of heroin with intent to deliver and possession of meth.

Finkbonner was the coordinator of a community anti-drug effort in 2004, according to Bellingham Herald archives.

Oreiro has a history of drug crimes. He was convicted in 2004 for his role in a marijuana dealing ring. He planned to deal dozens of pounds of marijuana in the Bellingham area, according to federal charging documents. He was sentenced to four months of house arrest.

Oreiro also was booked Thursday on being a felon in possession of a firearm.