Joshua D. C. Rhoades faces a judge in Lewis County Superior Court.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The 32-year-old Centralia resident said to be the leader of the local LVL gang was sentenced today to a little more than nine years in prison for a roughly 30 to 40 second fight earlier this year on a Centralia street in which a 17-year-old boy was knocked unconscious.
Joshua Rhoades was convicted by a jury in April of second-degree assault.
His one-week-old baby boy was among a handful of family members and friends present during this morning’s proceedings in Lewis County Superior Court. They were out numbered by law enforcement officers in the courtroom.
Prosecutors said during his trial that Rhoades jumped out of a car, flashing gang signs and asking the teen and his two friends if they knew who he was and if they were rival “Nortenos”. The teenager Dustin McLean testified Rhoades held a closed knife in his fist as he struck him.
The brief brawl in downtown Centralia on Jan 31 included two of Rhoades’ companions as well as at least two of the three boys. McLean said he was hit well over 20 times.
Defense attorney Chris Baum asked the judge today to give his client 65 months, the bottom of the standard sentencing range. The top was 82 months. Baum said there was a lot of discussion of gang activity by the prosecutor during the trial, but the injury itself not that serious and it was more like a misdemeanor assault.
Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Joely O’Rourke recommended the judge sentence Rhoades to the maximum of 10 years, noting the special finding by the jury allowed the judge to go above the standard range.
O’Rourke said Rhoades is well known to Centralia police, who say he is the leader of the LVL and that he assaulted the teenager without provocation.
LVL stands for Little Valley Locos or Little Valley Lokotes a gang locally made up mostly of individuals who grew up in Centralia when it was particularly active in the summer of 2007. Police say Rhoades goes by the street name Spooker.
“This is one of the few times a victim has been brave enough to come in and testify against Mr. Rhoades,” O’Rourke said.
She said the teen’s family has taken him out of school and moved away because he has been threatened, harassed and assaulted since the trial.
Rhoades maintained his innocence when asked by the judge if he wanted to make any statement.
“Well, Ms. O’Rourke, because of me being who I am or whatever, she had no problem offering me a plea bargain of 80 months,” Rhoades said.
Judge James Lawler gave Rhoades 10 months less than 10 years, so that he could also impose 10 months of supervision by the state Department of Corrections upon his release.
The basis for the exceptional sentence was because of the special gang finding by the jury, Lawler said.
The jury had found the assault was committed with a deadly weapon and also a so-called aggravator that the incident was intended to enhance Rhoades’ affiliation in a street gang.
Rhoades previous most recent criminal convictions are for malicious mischief in 2008 and third-degree assault in 2004. Before that, he has convictions for intimidating a witness and theft in 2000 and a second-degree assault in 1999, and then a juvenile record.
His attorney filed a notice of appeal.
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For background, read “Lewis County jury convicts Centralia gang member of assault on teen” from Friday April 26, 2013, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Apparently some of you morons can’t comprehend simple English. I didn’t say anything bad about the child AT ALL. I said that it was almost a certainty that the mother is on public assistance of some sort. I was complaining that, not only do we have to support this POS (Spooker) in prison, we have to support the bitch he knocked up and his offspring with her. Of course, chances are we were also supporting them before, but at least it’s one less loser on the streets.
However, OLJ nailed it in his posts that were supplemental to mine. A strong work ethic is crucial to success in life and if your mommy’s a lazy skank on welfare or SSI and daddy is in prison, your chances of becoming a contributing member of society are extremely low.
I don’t know anyone who grew up with parents on welfare that didn’t end up living the exact same way. Popping out babies with multiple daddies and not working a day in their lives to support any of them. Kids follow the example that is set for them. You can’t argue that. Well, you could, but you’d expose yourself as a real idiot.
Agreed, OLJ, although I doubt the kid would have much of a chance if Spooker were still going to be around, either. In that regard, it’s addition via subtraction.
It’s a real shame that Spooker has gone off to prison and left his poor innocent little child without a daddy. Kid has practically zero chance of becoming a productive member of society.
Society are you for real! ! Who are we sending to prison the Child or the Father for the way ya’ll are talking your quick to judge the future of a beautiful newborn baby that ain’t done anything wrong but be born to a man named Josh AKA Spooker that has not followed the law always, Name one man that has? I believe Society has failed to educate again like so many others in this world of ours. Open your eyes people it ain’t just one man its everywhere, Everyman!! So those that talked negative about Spookers child and/or children should grow up an step back & look at what they have done in their LIFE, before placing judgement on a child that hasn’t even got to live, let alone learn, or be loved. DON’T HOLD THE CHILD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS PARENTS ACTIONS. Just cause parents or Guardians (ect) do wrong don’t mean the child will in his future. Best thing for the child is to not know about all the drama, so leave it outta his life.
Seriously I would. Do prisons have a better track record of turning peoples’ lives around than the military? Are your tax dollars are better spent keeping these people caged up with zero positive impact on society as opposed to having them serve their country in battle (if need be) to protect us?
I stand by my original statement: Spooker and others like him would have a better chance of turning their lives around by serving in the military rather than rotting in prison. I don’t envision him becoming a better person by spending the next nine years in Walla Walla.
Seriously would you like to send a violent gang member into the service where they would have un restricted access to weapons, learn how to kill someone & associate with other criminals, who if there were enough of them they could overthrow our government. Can you imagine them “protecting ” us during any kind of a disaster? Times have changed, not like 50/60 yrs ago. Our Military has higher standards. Look at other countries have been taken over by the military. Besides by now Rhoades is most likely a hardened criminal. Lets move on & focus on something else. He has received more than attention than he should.
I agree why don’t we send these people who break the law into the army and do there time..Didn’t they use to do that? It would down size the prison’s for real.
PLEASE TELL ME:
What chance does little Spook Jr. have in a world where his daddy is in prison for the next decade while his mom is hooking up with SSI, Food Stamps, and the next Jimmy Reeder?
He isn’t the way he is because of any DNA that is in him. He is the way he is because he’s an idiot and chose to do the things he did. And I didn’t see anyone on here defending him. I certainly am not, however I will stick up for his kids who have no say in anything that goes on in their lives right now. Like I said it is not their fault their father chose to do the things he did. How are his kids, any kids actually supposed to do anything with their lives with people like you already basically saying they will do nothing with their lives? I mean honestly, the baby is a week old and you are already assuming he will be like his father. Everyone says Josh should be where he is, which I do agree with, because he is a threat to our society, but maybe it’s people like you that society needs to watch out for since you obviously have a ton of hate in you!
You must read the bible too much OR you put too much faith in it. The fact is, that baby has 50% of spooker’s DNA in it.
So, it goes without saying that it has, from a SCIENTIFIC standpoint, at least 50% chance of being just like Spook in every aspect.
From a RELIGIOUS standpoint, you could argue that Spook’s baby could be the next Jesus Christ, which is ridiculous to say the least, since Jesus as we know him is just a fictional action-hero.
Say what you want about those who criticize Spook, his baby mama, and their “innocent offspring”, but know this: you will look more and more like his baby mama posing as someone else each time you post in defense of that P.O.S.
Nothing good can come from Spooker unless he gives up his gang b.s., admits to being a punk a$$ bITch, and claims responsibility for his actions.
Rot in hell Spook.
Talk about the mother all you want, but do you really have to talk about the baby? It isn’t his fault his dad is like that!
I’m sure the mother of Spook’s baby will have no problem finding a James Reeder-type to help her raise her new baby while spook is in the joint pulling trains and tossing salads.
And the vicious cycle continues….
“His one-week-old baby boy was among a handful of family members and friends present during this morning’s proceedings in Lewis County Superior Court.”
What do you all want to bet the mother is yet another leech sucking the system dry by being on welfare? Now, we have to support his dumb ass in prison, and his ho-of-the-week and kid – just to add insult to injury.
Have fun TOSSING another mans salad in the pen. And your gonna be someones bitch. Hahaha 9 years might put some sense into ur inbred ass.
Byee
Don’t drop the soap!
I agree Guilty , It worked in the 60’s. I knew many a fellow choose the army over jail time. I think I remember a promise of a cleaned up record also. They think they are tough , well prove it. Graffiti we’ll be harder to manage after an encounter with an IED.
Ed, I think you might’ve hit around something that may be effective in dealing with guys like this. I think the sentence on this case should’ve come as a choice: Nine years in prison or nine years in the military, starting with basic training and a DI with garlic breath screaming in your face for six months. Screw up in the Army? Your sentence starts over in Walla Walla with zero chance for parole.
Good, we need to send a message to these people and that was a good job done all around Lewis Co.
Peace Spooker. You are still a bitch and will be for sure at Walla Walla.
Haha SPOOK!!! You shoulda stuck with the name your momma gave you. Dumb ass.
All of these gangs are a bunch of cowards. It is so sad that they have to be in “a gang” to think they are tough. They will never be good enough to carry the duffle bag of any lady or man in the service.
Good riddens is all I have to say about that !!!! Ha ha ha