Archive for September, 2016

Facebook: Onalaska resident arrested after photo alleged to be with underage girlfriend surfaces

Friday, September 30th, 2016
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Cody M. Cothran faces a judge in Lewis County Superior Court during a bail hearing yesterday.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children forwarded to a local detective led to a 15-year-old Lewis County girl who had uploaded images of herself to her Facebook account, showing her unclothed private parts.

Of particular interest to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office was a photo of the girl with a penis in her mouth, and Facebook text messages between her and a 21-year-old that suggested an intimate relationship.

Sheriff’s detective Jamey McGinty this week went to the girl’s address and spoke to a relative who said she hadn’t been home in two weeks, but had a boyfriend who lived in Onalaska.

McGinty found the girl there and interviewed her, learning she and Cody M. Cothran, 21, were boyfriend and girlfriend and that he allegedly took the picture in question, of the two of them, according to court documents.

She told McGinty that Cothran knew she was only 15, according to court documents.

“She said Cody told her to be careful who she told about their relationship and that he could get into trouble if their relationship was discovered,” court documents state.

McGinty placed Cothran under arrest and read him his Miranda warnings, Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher wrote.

That was on Wednesday. Yesterday afternoon, Cothran was brought before a judge in Lewis County Superior Court.

He is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, an offense with a maximum penalty of 10 year in prison. He is also charged with third-degree rape of a child. That crime can bring as much as five years behind bars.

Charging documents don’t indicate if Facebook had lifted the photos from the girl’s account. They don’t state if the text exchanges between the two were viewable by the public, or if they were private messages that the detective somehow accessed.

There is no indication the girl is in trouble.

Temporary defense attorney Joely O’Rourke told the judge Cothran is unemployed and qualified for a court appointed lawyer.

Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Joel DeFazio said Cothran has no prior criminal convictions of any sort.

Judge Nelson Hunt allowed Cothran to remain free pending his trial, based on a $25,000 unsecured bond co-signed by his grandfather.

Judge Hunt ordered Cothran to turn over any computer he has to his newly appointed lawyer, David Brown by his arraignment.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Friday, September 30th, 2016
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Updated at 3:23 p.m.

THEFT, THEFT, THEFT

• A 47-year-old man was arrested yesterday following an investigation after a resident on the 2500 block of Seminary Hill in Centralia discovered a pawn slip listing items belonging to him that he subsequently realized were missing. The slip had a relative’s name on it, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A deputy responding to the report on Tuesday learned the property included a chainsaw, a floor jack, jack stands and was pawned on Sept. 6. Patrick S. Dumar, of Centralia, was contacted and booked into the Lewis County Jail for residential burglary and first-degree trafficking in stolen property, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

• Chehalis police were called just after 1 p.m. yesterday to a a bank on the 1400 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue to take a report that they accepted two checks on a closed account. The account had been closed following a theft related to a vehicle prowl, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The loss is $4,240, according to police.

• Someone stole items from three separate lockers at the 2000 block of Borst Avenue in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 10:30 a.m. yesterday.

• Police were called about a vehicle prowl about 7:15 a.m. yesterday at the 500 block of West First Street in Centralia. A large amount of tools were missing, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DRUGS

• A 39-year-old Centralia man was arrested for possession of methamphetamine after contact with police just after 2 p.m. yesterday at the 700 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia. Justin L. Hyde was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Chehalis police arrested a 40-year-old Mossyrock woman for unlawful inhalation when they were called the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue about 4:10 p.m. yesterday for a complaint a customer had purchased canned air and had sniffed it in the store. Jennifer L. Barber was issued a citation and then released, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

VANDALISM

• Someone scratched graffiti into freshly poured concrete at the 700 block of K Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police at 4 p.m. yesterday.

POLICE PURSUITS

• A 45-year-old man was arrested last night for felony eluding after he failed to pull over when a deputy observed him traveling about 10 mph over the limit, left his vehicle in the middle of the road and headed on foot to his home. It occurred about 9:30 p.m. when the deputy was conducting speed enforcement in the area of Galvin and River Heights roads, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. When contacted in the area of Joppish and Harriman roads, the deputy smelled the overwhelming odor of intoxicants, according to the sheriff’s office. A Taser was deployed and Brian K. Elliott was taken into custody, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said. Elliott was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail. The sheriff’s office is referring charges of obstructing and driving under the influence. Elliott is to be released without the felony charge filed today, pending further investigation.

• A 24-year-old Chehalis man was arrested for felony eluding and an outstanding warrant after he was contacted at the 1200 block of Long Road in Centralia, emitted the strong odor of intoxicants, put his car in reverse and took off at about 7:30 yesterday morning. Galen R. Whitmire headed north, but veered off the road into a garden and crashed into an apple tree, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Whitmire began to run east on Alder Street, but was caught and detained, according to the sheriff’s office. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail. Cases for driving under the influence and third-degree driving with suspended license are being referred to prosecutors, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

VEGETATION FIRE

• While the outdoor burning prohibition has been lifted, there still hasn’t been as much rain as some would like to make the activity safe. Firefighters were called about 6 p.m. yesterday to a Christmas tree farm on the 700 block of Brockway Road where flames from burn piles got out of control and spread, Chehalis Fire Department Chief Ken Cardinale said this morning. They joined Lewis County Fire District 6 and personnel from the state Department of Natural Resources and were able to contain it to about 10 acres, the chief said. But it took took two to two and half hours or so, he said.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrant, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, hit and run, civil issue, disorderly person, third-degree theft, suspicious circumstances, misdemeanor assault, collision on city street, homeless male sleeping by a back door  … and more

JNET talks about seizure of guns, drugs in south Chehalis

Thursday, September 29th, 2016
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The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office shared this image on Twitter about JNET’s arrest.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Lewis County law enforcement’s drug fighting team released details yesterday about their Monday night arrest of an alleged drug dealer at his south Chehalis home, including how he’s spent some of the proceeds.

Drannon B. Smythe, 23, is accused of being a large-scale seller of controlled substances, and of trading firearms during his transactions.

He allegedly admitted to buying three sport-type cars with the proceeds.

Smythe was charged Tuesday in Lewis County Superior Court with  possession of heroin with intent to deliver, possession of methamphetamine and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. His arraignment was scheduled for today.

Lewis County prosecutors wrote in charging documents that on Monday after his arrest, Smythe said he came to the door with a loaded AK-47, but put it down when law enforcement outside verified who they were.

Prosecutors wrote of the search turning up about an ounce of heroin, some methamphetamine, about $3,000 cash and thirteen firearms, several of which were loaded.

The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team wrote in a news release that actually 18 guns were seized, several of which were determined to have been stolen in Lewis County.

During the search, they also reportedly found hundreds of prescription pills and made mention that one of the counts they arrested him for was possession of LSD. He was not charged with that.

The arrest highlights the partnership between agencies, according to JNET Sergeant Brian Warren

“Working together will help us be more effective and focus on drug issues in rural Lewis County,” Warren stated. “The Joint Narcotics Task Force will continue to aggressively go after people who choose to be involved in illegal drugs in our communities.”

Warren indicates the search warrant was served at Smythe’s home on the 200 block of Newaukum Golf Drive. Court documents state Smythe lived on the the 200 block of Newaukum Valley Golf Course Drive.

JNET spells his name as Smyth, while prosecutors charged him as Smythe. His street name is given as “Dragon.”

According to Warren, JNET was accompanied by the U.S. Marshals Service as well as members of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Enforcement Team. Smythe’s roommate Sean Anthony Penn, 30, was arrested for an unrelated warrant from Thurston County.

Court documents state that Smythe told them, if law enforcement had served the warrant the previous day, he’d have had pounds of methamphetamine, but he was robbed.

In response to an inquiry, Warren said Smythe claimed someone broke into his house the night before and stole the drugs, but police are not investigating that since it was illegal for him to have them anyhow.

JNET also is asking if anyone has information regarding Smythe’s activities, to please phone them at 360-330-7680 or 360-748-9286.
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For background, read “Drugs, guns and an arrest in Chehalis” from Tuesday September 27, 2016 at 8:31 p.m., here

News brief: Inappropriate touching case from Sunbird ends with plea deal

Thursday, September 29th, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The 33-year-old man charged with indecent liberties for allegedly grabbing the hand of a 20-year-old special needs student and placing it in his crotch area while the two were working at Sun Bird Shopping Center in Chehalis was sentenced yesterday to 90 days in jail.

Rodney R. Cook, from Olympia, was arrested last month.

The young woman was participating in a  program in which students go to local businesses to learn job skills.

Cook entered into a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to two counts of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation and the indecent liberties charge was dropped, according to his lawyer Kevin Nelson.

Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt yesterday accepted the agreed recommendation in which Cook would be given 364 days in jail with all but 90 of them suspended for two years. He’s already served 43 days.
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For background, read “Sunbird employee accused of inappropriately touching  developmentally disabled worker” from Thursday August 18, 2016, here

Prosecutors: Winlock store clerk and suspect faked robbery

Thursday, September 29th, 2016
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Cheryl D. Oleachea waits to leave the courtroom after her bail hearing today in Lewis County Superior Court.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The clerk from Winlock’s Handi store has been arrested in connection with the robbery there earlier this month.

Police arrested a 45-year-old Winlock man for the Sept. 6 incident and charged him with second-degree robbery and second-degree burglary. Tamrick A. Torres told them he and the clerk had conspired to rob the store because she was unhappy with her wages there, according to prosecutors.

And last week, when an officer ran into him, stopping him for speeding, Torres reportedly shared further details, according to court documents.

“Torres stated that his attorney would be mad at him for providing this  information, but that he didn’t care,” prosecutors wrote in court documents.

Torres allegedly said he had the mask he used that night and also a BB gun that looked like a pistol which the clerk provided him to make it look more realistic, Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello wrote.

When police were called to the nighttime incident on Kerron Avenue, they were told a person wearing a skeleton-type mask, had a handgun, demanded money from the till and the clerk handed it over. She said the subject had reached toward his waistband where she saw what looked like the black handle of a firearm, but Torres subsequently told police he didn’t use the BB gun during the robbery because he thought it was a bad idea.

On Monday, the clerk, Cheryl D. Oleachea was contacted by law enforcement and continued to deny any involvement, according to Masiello. But she underwent a polygraph examination and the results show she was not truthful, according to Masiello.

Oleachea, 53, was arrested yesterday and booked into the Lewis County Jail. She was charged today with second-degree theft in Lewis County Superior Court. The owner reported $1,589 in cash was missing.

Judge Nelson Hunt allowed her release on a $10,000 unsecured bond. Her arraignment is next week.
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For background, read “Robber with black and white Scream-type mask hits Winlock store” from Wednesday September 7, 2016, here

Final suspect in drug-related robbery going to prison

Thursday, September 29th, 2016
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By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The final of four suspects in a Centralia heroin-related incident this summer that resulted in a fight inside a car with a box cutter and bear spray was sentenced yesterday to one year and a day in prison.

Kiana J. DeLaRosa, 18, of Chehalis, was convicted by plea of second-degree robbery, but didn’t show up earlier this month for her sentencing hearing.

She and prosecutors had a deal in place in which she would have gotten only six months in jail, given she had no criminal history.

Yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court, she pleaded guilty to bail jumping and the cases were combined for the longer sentence.

Prosecutors alleged a set up of a drug deal; the two victims told police of a request to get some heroin for DeLaRosa who claimed to be “drug sick.” It happened at the 1600 block of North Scheuber Road in Centralia at about 6:45 a.m. on Saturday, July 30.

A purse and a backpack were taken and two of the subjects admitted to finding a small amount of heroin and using it before they were contacted by officers.

DeLaRosa’s attorney Chris Baum told the judge his client made bad choices and compounded her issues by not coming back to court.

DeLaRosa told the judge she wants someone to help her with her drug addiction.

“I just regret my mistake that I made, and I take full responsibility for them,” she said.

Judge Nelson Hunt imposed the agreed upon recommendation of Baum and the prosecutor’s office.

Robert Plasencia, 29, of Napavine, got 22 months when he was sentenced last month for second-degree robbery.

Andrea Parker, 34, and Jon Parker, 32, of Chehalis, pleaded guilty soon after to conspiracy to commit second-degree robbery. He was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. She was given 50 months as her conviction was combined with four other cases from this year.
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For background, read “Bear spray, box cutter and heroin” from Friday August 12, 2016, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Thursday, September 29th, 2016
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SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES

• Chehalis police were called about 3:45 p.m. yesterday to the 100 block of Southwest Sixth Street after a student reported seeing a shirtless male pushing an empty baby stroller holding a gun. A responding officer was unable to locate the subject but came up with an idea about who it might be and spoke to the person later on, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The male did not have a firearm but did have an old gas pump handle that may have looked like one, according to police. He denied taking it out or pointing it though, a department spokesperson said.

THREAT FROM CHILD DRAWS POLICE

• Police were called to the 1200 block of Southwest Pacific Avenue in Chehalis just before 5 p.m. yesterday and arrested a 13-year-old girl for felony harassment with threat to kill. A comment made was associated with a disagreement between the girl and a parent, according to the Chehalis Police Department. She was booked into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center, according to police.

AUTO THEFT

• Centralia police were called about 3:10 p.m. yesterday to the 600 block of Centralia College Boulevard where an individual reported their red 1997 Jeep Cherokee had been stolen sometime during the previous two hours. The license plate reads ADN 4768, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CAR PROWL

• An officer was called just before 2 p.m. yesterday to the 10 block of Southwest Third Street in Chehalis where someone had broke into a van which was behind two locked gates. They ransacked it and stole an iPad, a charger and a keyboard, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• Chehalis police were called about 11 a.m. yesterday for a vehicle prowl on the 10 block of Northeast Division Street. Someone stole a battery from inside an unlocked van parked in the lot, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

VEGETATION CATCHES FIRE

• Firefighters called abut 2:45 p.m. yesterday to fire in a field behind an apartment building in an area near the 100 block of Southwest William and Chehalis avenues found grass, brush and cottonwoods burning over about a half acre. The extinguished it and discovered sleeping bags and trash at the origin of the fire, according to the Chehalis Fire Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrant, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, identity theft, third-degree theft, suspicious person, vandalism, collision on city street … and more among 149 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.