A detective with the Oak Harbor Police Department caught a sex offender who was allegedly dealing heroin and methamphetamine on Whidbey Island, according to court documents.

Detective Carl Seim, the department’s drug enforcement officer, had been searching Oak Harbor for 48-year-old Tyruss K. Thompson after learning that he was living in Oak Harbor and was wanted on a warrant out of Jefferson County for failure to register as a sex offender, according to Detective Sgt. Teri Gardner.

Thompson had been convicted of child molestation in the third degree and was supposed to register with the Sheriff’s Office in his county of residence.

Seim spotted Thompson on Sept. 18 as he was standing next to his van on Midway Boulevard. He was with a 17-year-old girl.

Seim searched Thompson and found a large amount of cash and “numerous baggies of heroin and meth,” Gardner said. The drugs have a street value of of somewhere between $4,700 and $6,000, she said.

“I also know from law enforcement training and experience that drug dealers commonly trade drugs for sex and with Thompson dealing drugs and hanging out with a minor that he is a danger to other minors in the community,” Seim wrote in his report.

In addition, Gardner said Thompson had four state Quest cards on him, which are given to people on public assistance. None of the cards belonged to him. Gardner claimed they are commonly traded for narcotics.

After Thompson was arrested, the police had his van towed to the police station. Seim looked through the van after obtaining a search warrant.

The detective allegedly found two plastic bags containing 2.1 grams of meth each, as well as marijuana, heroin and scales, Gardner said.

In addition, Seim found two “air pistols” that looked like real handguns, Gardner said.

The detective booked Thompson on suspicion of possessing heroin and meth with intent to sell.

An Island County Superior Court judge ordered him held on $100,000 bail.