Justin D. McPherson of Federal Way asks a judge for mercy in deciding his sentence in Lewis County Superior Court.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A judge yesterday disregarded a defendant’s plea for a special drug offender sentencing alternative and gave him seven years plus two months in prison for the failed Centralia jewelry store burglary in which he was shot.
Justin D. McPherson, 29, stood before Judge Nelson Hunt in Lewis County Superior Court yesterday and admitted he acted selfishly and irresponsibly, saying he didn’t want to “live this life anymore.”
“I do have a drug problem,” McPherson said, his voice breaking. “I need help. I just ask for your mercy.”
McPherson was found guilty by a jury last month for breaking into Salewsky’s Jewelry shop in the early morning hours of March 20. He was confronted by the owner’s son who awoke in an upstairs apartment and shot him before he escaped through a hole he’d cut in a wall to an adjoining office space, dropping a trail of jewelry behind him.
Hunt told the Federal Way resident he deserved hard time.
“It may be that you have a drug problem, but frankly it doesn’t matter to me,” Judge Hunt said.
“You’re also a criminal.”
Hunt outlined his reasons. Part of it had to do with the obvious planning that went into the crime, he said.
Mainly, the judge said, McPherson went into a building where he didn’t belong when someone was present. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t aware anyone would be there, he said.
Gunshots threaten everybody, Hunt said.
“This was a legitimate use of self defense, but it was caused by you,” he said.
McPherson was sentenced for one count of second-degree burglary and one count of residential burglary, as well as second-degree malicious mischief for cutting a hole in the wall inside the building.
He was represented by Chehalis attorney Ken Johnson.
Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead told the judge the case against McPherson’s childhood friend Ryan W. Cox wasn’t quite as strong. Cox pleaded guilty in a plea deal.
Later yesterday, Cox was sentenced to seven years for his role.
Halstead said it never was learned how the two non-local men knew about the place; they broke through the back door of the vacant neighboring space and used a crowbar to break through a wall to get into the shop.
The two women who testified they waited in their cars nearby but didn’t know of the plan to steal any jewelry have pleaded guilty to rendering criminal assistance.
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For background, read “Jewelry store break-in defendant’s companions testify against him” from Thursday May 30, 2013, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter