Repeat Spokane-Area Drug Offender Gets Long Sentence

An 8-year-prison term has been given to a repeat drug offender, who was already given 190 months previously.

  The 41-year-old man was arrested in Airway Heights, near Spokane

Nicholas J. Kloepfel will get 96 months, as well as supervised probation on his release, for his activities in 2024.

Airway Heights Police located him at a hotel in that community in January of 2024, and learned he had in his possession a firearm. Based on his previous drug-related and firearm activities, he was forbidden from having any guns.

Following his arrest, investigators searched his vehicle and other property and found (according to the US Attorney's Office):

 ".. three loaded handguns, ammunition, a fake silencer, a small amount of drugs, and drug paraphernalia."

In court, Kloepfel attempted to argue he had the firearms and other items due to suffering from PTSD, and even attempted to compare himself to a Vietnam Vet, a claim that US Attorney's Office officials said was "simply offensive."

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The judge imposed the maximum possible sentence for his latest crimes, due to his extensive criminal history.