By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The man arrested when deputies found a variety of items at a property in Doty linking him to the theft of about $6,000 in fuel from a Silver Creek gas station has disappeared, and it seems he’s not who he said he was.
John Lewis, aka Jason A. Lewis
The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office was investigating a nighttime incident captured on surveillance cameras at the Texaco when they searched property at the 100 block of Elk Creek Road in Doty late last month. They turned up a half dozen plug-in access keypads used to override gasoline pumps, plus a canopied pickup truck with darkened windows which held two large fuel tanks, a portable pump and a nozzle.
A man identified as Jason A. Lewis, 47, was found near a recreational vehicle parked inside a barn and tried to run, but was detained and subsequently charged with first-degree theft, first-degree trafficking in stolen property and possession of methamphetamine, according to court documents.
His bail was set at $20,000 when he went before a judge, in part because prosecutors believed he had an extensive criminal history in California, under a different name.
Last week, detectives concluded he was actually John Lewis, that he was using his brother’s name, and that he had fraudulent identification for it.
Harold E. Lusk
On Wednesday, detective Dan Riordan said Lewis bailed out of jail, and they were looking for him for identity theft. Riordan believed Lewis and his girlfriend would be traveling in the motorhome he had previously parked in the Doty barn. It’s a 1994 Mountain Air, registered to his brother, according to the detective.
Lewis didn’t show up for his scheduled court hearing on Thursday, where he and his court-appointed attorney were expected to appear for his arraignment on the original charge.
The sheriff’s office says Lewis may accompanied by his girlfriend, Jodi Hamer.
They are asking for help in locating him.
Lewis is one of three people charged on Aug. 1 in connection with the July 28 theft of about 1,600 gallons of fuel, including regular unleaded gasoline, highway diesel and off-road diesel.
Also charged were 28-year-old Harold E. Lusk who resides on the Elk Creek property, and Raymond T. Hankins, 48, from Yelm.
Alyssa J. Hanson
This past Wednesday, authorities charged Lusk’s girlfriend, 20-year-old Alyssa J. Hanson with trafficking in stolen property and possession of methamphetamine.
Charging documents state Hanson spoke with detectives when the property was searched and she acknowledged she and Lusk split their time between living in a travel trailer there and the house, both places in which suspected meth was found. She allegedly said Lusk acquired fuel and that she and him distributed it to others from the Elk Creek Road property, according to court documents.
The case began to come together when deputies recognized two faces and a license plate on the surveillance video, put together with an earlier tip from an unnamed person who told law enforcement Lusk and his associates had been stealing large amounts of gasoline from local gas stations.
The unnamed individual also said Lusk and a man from California who was hiding in Lusk’s barn in a trailer were cooking methamphetamine for sale. No mention was made in Lewis’s charging documents of of meth-making materials located during the search.
However, according to court documents, numerous containers of gasoline, including a 55-gallon drum of it were discovered.
Lusk’s warrant includes four counts of unlawful possession of firearms, in connection with guns found that day.
Detectives thought Hanson and Lusk may still be in Lewis County, or may have been planning to leave the state.
Meanwhile, Hankins was picked up on his warrant in Thurston County, and bailed out, but appeared out-of-custody in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday. Judge James Lawler allowed Hankins to remain free on the $25,000 bail he posted.
His arraignment is set for this coming Thursday.
The sheriff’s office asks anyone with information on the whereabouts of Lusk, Hanson or Lewis to phone them at 360-748-9286 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-748-6422 if they wish to remain anonymous or earn a reward.
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For background, read “Sheriff’s Office: Large scale gasoline stealing operation uncovered” from Friday August 1, 2014, here
Raymond T. Hankins, 48, is represented by defense attorney Bob Schroeter when he appears before a judge on Thursday in Lewis County Superior Court to hear the charges against him.
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Lewis County sheriff’s detectives share this photo of a 1994 Mountain Air – with a fox emblem – similar to the one John Lewis may be driving.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Actually, gas stations have to shoot for a higher markup on gasoline and diesel than 10 cents per gallon. Even 20 cents is pretty tight. You would not believe what those pumps cost each and then there is maintenance, electricity, credit and debit card fees, B & O taxes, and tank maintenance and lots of insurance before anything is contributed to the bottom line. At 20 cents a station is very lucky to have any contribution to the bottom line from gas and diesel sales.
Like MadThumb said, the money is in the junk food, alcohol, cigarettes, etc. However, there is no money in lottery tickets. They are a bad deal for everyone, except the state. Just the theft of tickets alone makes them a bad deal for the retailer.
And, as outlander pointed out, the station owner still has to pay the distributor for all of that stolen gas, plus he loses the profit.
Uhhh Madthumb, he still has to pay for all of the gas regardless.
Therefore, if the service station owner was getting the maximum amount of profit at 10 cents per gallon, his actual losses on 1600 gallons would be more in the ballpark of $160 dollars.
Not a huge loss, but a big enough loss that a small business owner would definitely feel.
Not exactly the crime of the century by any means.
In all honesty, small stores that sell gasoline recieve very little in profit.
Most of the profit comes from people who go there to buy other things. Having a gas pump is an extra draw to bring people in.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/13/news/economy/gas_gallon/index.htm?postversion=2008031910
The real money makers are alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, and junk food. What that stuff gets stolen, only THEN does it make it a ‘crime’. lol
When you read comments from lowlifes like jimbob you can only say ‘Wow” and wonder what rock he crawled out from under. How did inventory theft at any business, even Walmart, become an innocent person accused of a “so called crime?” Even if the gas were stolen from Exxon Mobil, the crime would not be victimless. We are all victims of every crime of theft. In this case, it is a small businessman working long hours to try to make a decent living who is the victim of a very real crime. 1,600 gallons of gasoline at over $ 3.00 per gallon comes to about $ 5,000 that the owner will not have to feed his family, and pay the bills. No, insurance does not cover inventory theft in most cases. The owner is out the money because some lowlifes wanted his property in order to convert it to more drugs.
Shame on Judge Lawler for such low bail. Or, maybe I should say shame on the prosecutors for requesting such low bail on a pretty obvious flight risk. Quote, “His bail was set at $20,000 when he went before a judge, in part because prosecutors believed he had an extensive criminal history in California, under a different name.”
And, shame on jimbob for being the kind of lowlife who believes stealing is okay. Do not move anywhere near me. In fact, move back to the backwoods you crawled out of and get back together with your cousin.
jimbob, stealing from a small business is not a victimless crime, sure the station owner probably has insurance but guess what, the more you use insurance the faster your rates go up. Hell no I don’t know these turds but given the facts presented in the article I have no problem sharing an opinion and I stand by that opinion. Since they have video evidence of the theft and found meth at their residence it doesn’t take a genius to figure they are guilty, given the fact that they split as soon as they bonded out doesn’t help their case for looking innocent either. So let me just close by saying you sir are packing the peanut brain, are a troll looking to start an argument, are a friend of these turds or tweaker piece of crap yourself or all of the above. Do the nice folks of LC a favor, stop talking. Please.
Lol you people got your heads shoved so far up each others asses one would think your probabaly suckin each others u know what. Innocent until proof of guilt what happened to that. Your just all jelouse sounds like to me. Nobody suffers from this so called crime except the innocent that are getting the blame. I would bet none of you personally know any of these people. If people looked as hard for missing children as hard as they look for non violent alleged suspects I bet alot more wouldbe found alive. So before u make any peanut brain comments get the facts. Have a great day!!!
She was never arrested to begin with. Bail was the other guy Jason/John whatever. You’d think she would have been picked up when they searched the place and questioned her. Now they come back with all these charges
Ummm…it’s called bail. Guaranteed by the Constitution. Of course one would think you would confirm identities of suspects before releasing them on bail.
This has been going on for along time. But I’m a little confused. So they questioned Alyssa and then they come back and put a warrant out for her? Why didnt they arrest her on the spot?
Hmmmm…where DOES the LCSO get gas for their vehicles…? ;}
Wow, lets give the tweakers a free pass LCSO!
WTF?
I can’t believe they were in custody, have previous criminal record… weapon charges… but they are in the wind now… just perfect… not to mention you had everything to get them when they first hit the store but let them keep trying for 3 more days way to go lewis County!! very impressed
Amen to Ron Green comments. I totally agree with you on all you say on this case. Here is some information that is from the Lewis County Sheriff Facebook page. They are believed to be driving 1994 Mountain Air Motorhome with the License Plate Number: Washington State- AMM9571 (plate was not listed here). Will be watching to see what will happen in this case..
No surprise these scum bag tweakers hit the wind. For all of you who are going to chime in to defend these turds, think about what you say. There is no defense for stealing from others, these turds stole from small, local businesses and who knows what else. I for one have had it with these meth heads, if you want to do drugs, great, that’s your choice, have at it. Just stop stealing from innocent people. Most of us live here because it’s a beautiful, rural area, these a holes are not adding positively to regular peoples quality of life. I hope these turds on the run are caught soon and given a real punishment. Personally I am in favor of convicts, especially dopers being put on a chain gang and forced to clean ditches, parks etc.