Lewis County Sirens.com

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By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – An arraignment is scheduled for next week for a Centralia woman accused of having a sexual relationship with a male 20 years her junior while he was a resident of Green Hill School and she was employed as a juvenile rehabilitation counselor.

The complaint was made by the alleged victim in the summer of 2016, but criminal charges were just filed last month in Lewis County Superior Court.

Katherine M. Kimbrel, 41, was summonsed to appear before a judge on Tuesday and was allowed release pending trial on a $5,000 unsecured bond.

The alleged incidents occurred between Jan. 1, 2013, when the alleged victim was 15 years old, and continued through Dec. 31, 2015 after he turned 18, according to charging documents.

Green Hill in Chehalis is run by the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, a division of the Department of Social and Health Services. It’s a secure facility in Chehalis that provides older, male offenders education and vocational training.

The alleged victim, now 20, said he and Kimbrel had sexual contact which continued when he was in custody at the the juvenile detection center’s Touchstone Community facility in Olympia, according to charging documents. Touchstone is a transitional facility.

He said on several occasions she picked him up from his workplace in Olympia and took him to her apartment, Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer wrote in the court documents.

Kimbrel allegedly admitted to an unprofessional sexual relationship with the teen both inside and outside the Green Hill School facility, but denied any physical contact inside the facility, according to Meyer. She was interviewed by a detective Bjorkman and by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Meyer wrote.

Meyer indicates she said she did not report some actions, because she was afraid she would be blamed and lose her job. Numerous incomplete sentences in the charging documents leave it unclear which facility is the setting related to some of the various statements.

Meyer states in the charging documents that prior to the alleged victim coming forward on Aug. 13, 2016, three additional allegations regarding Kimbrel were investigated but screened out for lack of evidence.

She was charged on Jan. 9 with first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor and first-degree custodial sexual misconduct, both of which are offenses with a maximum penalty of five years in prison. She was also charged with communication with a minor for immoral purposes, a gross misdemeanor.

Kimbrel was ordered to undergo administrative booking at the Lewis County Jail. Defense attorney Jacob Clark was appointed to represent her.

The arraignment is set for next Thursday in Lewis County Superior Court.

Updated

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The body of a 61-year-old Toledo woman who vanished in the surf while clam digging with her husband was located yesterday morning between the Cranberry and Midway beach approaches in Pacific County.

The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office reports a 911 call came in at 9:01 p.m. on Friday reporting the woman missing near the Warrenton Cannery Road. She and her husband had become separated earlier in the evening, according to the sheriff’s office.

Rescue personnel from several agencies were immediately dispatched to the scene and began searching the area. Her body was located about 5:38 a.m. yesterday, Sheriff Scott Johnson stated in a press release.

She was identified as Sharon K. Leseman.

Johnson said she was one of two people who perished in the surf while clam digging on ocean beaches in the county on Friday.

The first 911 call came just minutes previous on Friday night, for a 70-year-old Ocean Park woman, missing from the Oysterville Beach. Her body was found at 5 p.m. yesterday near Westport in Grays Harbor County, according to Johnson. She also had been accompanied by her spouse.

“These incidents serve as a tragic reminder that one must always be vigilant of the powerful surf and waves that are often present on our ocean beaches,” Johnson stated.

The sheriff reminds the public to always stay close to other clammers, bring a flashlight or lantern, a waterproof cell phone, and never turn your back on the surf as “sneaker waves” can appear at any time.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – An 18-year-old Centralia resident who allegedly shared a sexually explicit video of a young girl in a conversation on his cell phone appeared in Lewis County Superior Court today, after being summonsed to appear.

Steven D. Young was charged by Lewis County prosecutors on Jan. 2 with first-degree dealing in depictions of minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Conviction can bring a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or a $$20,000 fine.

Charging documents written in December state that the Centralia Police Department received a referral from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, contending Young was conversing with an un-named person using the KIK application on his phone.

During the conversation, Young sent a video to the person showing an approximately 12-year-old girl masturbating, according to the allegations. He also allegedly claimed to be having sex with young girls, the documents relate.

An accompanying court document alleges the incident occurred on July 26.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer writes that Young was interviewed by police and initially denied knowing of the conversation.

He allegedly eventually recalled the conversation and video and said he needed counseling and should go to jail, and also claimed to being threatened, which caused him to send the video, Meyer wrote.

Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello told a judge this afternoon Young has no criminal history whatsoever and requested he be allowed release pending trial on a $20,000 unsecured bond.

Judge Andrew Toynbee agreed.

His arraignment was scheduled for Feb. 15.

Tiana M. Good, in green, faces a judge as Michael A. Esparza looks on in Lewis County Superior Court

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Local drug detectives and personnel with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration tracked the driver of a high end rental car up Interstate 5 into Chehalis yesterday and subsequently seized just over a pound of methamphetamine tucked into a dog carrier in the vehicle.

They also located what was described as a large bundle of U.S. currency in numerous denominations as well as a loaded pistol when they searched the car.

Michael A. Esparza, 23, and Tiana M. Good, 24, who live together in Lynnwood, were arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail. They were charged today in Lewis County Superior Court with possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver.

The duo had just traveled 20 hours straight from the Los Angeles area when they were pulled over yesterday evening, according to court documents.

Temporary defense attorney Rachael Tiller told a judge this afternoon Good is a full-time accounting student at Edmonds Community College and Esparza is self employed as a barber. Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello pointed out Esparza had California identification when bail was discussed.

Neither appeared to have any criminal convictions, according to the two lawyers.

Her bail was set at $10,000. His at $20,000.

Charging documents in the case state it was about 5:35 p.m. when law enforcement officers identified Esparza as the driver of a dark gray 2017 Chrysler 300C with Washington license plates. They knew his driving privileges were suspended and revoked.

A detective with the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team positively identified Esparza as the driver during “rolling” surveillance, according to the documents.

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Dan Riordan stopped the car on northbound Interstate 5 at milepost 74.

Good had a small white dog on her lap, according to Masiello.

A Clark County deputy and his drug-sniffing K-9 were summoned, because Esparza had a “suspicious story” of his travels from California and being in a high-end rental car, according to the documents.

The car was searched, after the K-9 showed an interest in the interior of the car, according to the documents.

Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Joel DeFazio wrote in charging documents that a large ziplock baggie containing large shards and a white crystal substance was located inside the soft-sided dog carrier. A sample of the approximately 461 grams field-tested positive for meth, according to DeFazio.

DeFazio states in the documents that under the passenger seat was a Springfield XD 40 caliber pistol, with a loaded magazine in the well. A records check showed it was stolen in Pierce County on Dec. 19, 2016.

Court appointed lawyers were assigned to Esparza  and Good. Their arraignments were scheduled for Feb. 15.

Flames rise from home on Southwest 12th Street in Chehalis on Wednesday night. / Courtesy photo by Mike Kroll

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Two people were able to escape a burning home in Chehalis last night but a dog and cat perished.

Firefighters called at 9:54 p.m. to the 100 block of Southwest 12th Street found fire at the front of the house, according to the Chehalis Fire Department.

“About half the house was involved, the occupants were able to exit the rear,” Fire Chief Ken Cardinale said this morning.

The crew was joined by personnel from Riverside Fire Authority, Lewis County Fire District 6 and Lewis County Fire District 5, Cardinale said.

He estimated $50,000 to $75,000 damage to the single-story, wood frame house. It’s not inhabitable, but might be repairable, the chief said.

The cause is under investigation.

Matthew G. Gingerich is seated to the left of his defense attorney in Lewis County Superior Court

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A former Centralia insurance agent pleaded not guilty today to first-degree theft, in connection with allegedly misappropriating client’s premium payments.

Matthew G. Gingerich, 37, was fired from employment with American Family Insurance following an internal audit three years ago. His license was revoked two years ago by the Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

The Lewis County Prosecutors Office filed the criminal charge late last year and summonsed Gingerich to appear before a judge this afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court.

He was accompanied by his Olympia attorney Jason Fugate.

Gingerich was allowed release on his personal recognizance pending trial

Gingerich’s business address was on the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia. The state insurance commissioner said in the spring of 2016 the audit showed he misappropriated nearly $30,000, and American Family was able to correct all the consumer’s policies of but one.

He was licensed for property, casualty, life and disability insurance in this state beginning in October 2008.

Charging documents in his case allege Gingerich put an internal block on a client’s account, preventing the client from receiving a cancellation notice in the event Gingerich didn’t pay the premium.

The report from the OIC showed he withheld approximately $37,000 of his client’s payments, and didn’t pass them on to American Family Insurance, Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher wrote in charging documents.

Meagher writes the audit found Gingerich transferred $37,610 from his premium trust account to his business checking account between August 2013 to March 2014, although he put $19,496 back in and that he admitted to receiving $2,800.24 in cash for premiums he didn’t put in the trust account.

He allegedly provided the auditor altered bank statements, including a fictitious business savings account.

His trial was scheduled for the week of April 15.
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For background, read “Insurance Commissioner: Centralia agent failed to remit customer premiums” from Tuesday March 22, 2016, here

Guadalupe Solis-Diaz Jr., now 27, stands before a judge again in 10 year old case

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – For the third time, a judge will be asked to decide on a sentence for a former Centralia High School student who was convicted here in a drive-by shooting a decade ago.

Guadalupe Solis-Diaz Jr. was tried and sentenced as an adult for crimes committed as a juvenile. He is serving a nearly 93 year sentence imposed by Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt.

The Washington State Court of Appeals and even the Washington State Supreme Court have weighed in on his case.

Solis-Diaz went before a judge today in Lewis County Superior Court, where a date was chosen for a new sentencing hearing.

It was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on June 15.

His appointed defense attorney Erik Kupka said there is “absolutely” a chance his client will be given a shorter sentence.

Solis-Diaz was 16 years old when gunfire was sprayed along the east side of South Tower Avenue in downtown Centralia in the summer of 2007, missing six bar patrons. Witnesses testified it was gang-related. Solis-Diaz maintained he was innocent but was convicted by a jury.

He was sentenced to 1,111 months in prison, based on multiple offenses including one count of first-degree assault committed with a firearm for each bullet that was fired. The six assault counts were ordered to be served consecutively and each carried a mandatory extra five years because they were committed with a firearm.

In 2012, he won an appeal and the local court was ordered to conduct a new hearing, referencing matters it believed should have been handled more thoroughly, given the defendant was a juvenile.

Judge Hunt was asked to consider an exceptional sentence downward, but the judge maintained several reasons why he should not do that. He sentenced him a second time, imposing the same sentence.

In 2016, a different three-member panel of the appeals court vacated the second sentence and ordered Hunt to conduct a meaningful inquiry before imposing a new sentence. In January of last year, the Washington State Supreme Court disqualified Hunt from presiding over the new hearing. Hunt had retired a few days before the ruling.

Kupka said Lewis County Superior Court Judge Andrew Toynbee will preside over the coming re-sentencing.

Kupka is joined in representing Solis-Diaz by Kimberly Ambrose, a senior law lecturer at the University of Washington School of Law. She has been involved in the case since 2011.

Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Sara Beigh said Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer is handling the case. Meyer was not present for today’s brief hearing.

More than a dozen family members and supporters of Solis-Diaz, including six children, attended the hearing today. The Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office’s victim advocate wasn’t sure if any of the victims were in the courtroom.

Solis-Diaz , now 27, was transported from the state Department of Corrections to the Lewis County Jail last Friday.

Kupka said he doesn’t know how long the June hearing will take.
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For background, read “State supreme court questions Judge Hunt’s amenability to considering mitigating evidence in drive-by case” from Friday January 13, 2017, here