MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — A team of Mount Vernon police officers and Skagit County deputies raided the Backdoor Tattoo Parlor Thursday evening.
Lindsey Denson watched as cops with assault rifles made their way to the shop.
“I was scared. I was like, oh, I don’t know what’s in the middle of this,” she said.
For weeks, investigators had been watching tattoo artist Beau Bruckner. They suspected the 33-year-old was dealing drugs.
“We found some paraphernalia inside the business, we found some marijuana, and I believe there was also some indications of heroin that was in there as well,” Mount Vernon Police Lt. Chris Cammock said.
Officers arrested Bruckner in the parking lot outside the building without any trouble, along with a 23-year-old woman wanted on some warrants not related to drug trafficking. It was no surprise to the owner of a bridal shop next door.
“It relieved me,” said Jan Roxstrom. Roxstrom said the tattoo parlor wasn’t open during normal business hours. She said “unsavory” looking characters were coming and going at night and on weekends in a downtown shopping area that caters to children and families.
“It’s a happy place and you don’t need that kind of activity downtown. It’s just not what I want as a business owner or as a citizen,” Roxstrom said.
The Skagit County prosecutor said Bruckner had a first appearance in court Friday morning. He is being held in jail for investigation of three counts of delivering heroin, and a fourth count of maintaining a premises for drug trafficking.
His bail was set at $300,000.
KIRO
