By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The Centralia father of three who took over the assets of a deceased man claiming to be a relative will go to prison, despite his lawyer’s appeal to the judge to give him a drug offender sentencing alternative.
Michael J. Dobbs, 47, pleaded guilty to first-degree theft and to forgery, in connection with a case that began to unfold last autumn.
Michael J. Dobbs
Chehalis police were contacted by the family of Walter Pettit who went to Pettit’s house near Chehalis Middle School and found it had been ransacked. Detectives learned Pettit, 55, had died months earlier at a hospital in Thurston County.
Dobbs produced a will making him the sole heir of the estate, but the dead man’s purported signature didn’t match his handwriting, and his name was misspelled, according to prosecutors.
Defense attorney Michael Underwood told the sentencing judge yesterday that arrangements had been made for his client to picked up from the jail and go directly into long term inpatient drug treatment, and after that, he would continue to get care at the Veteran’s Hospital in American Lake.
“If he doesn’t complete it, he has all this time hanging over his head, and will go to prison,” Underwood said.
The defendant, when asked if he had anything to say on his own behalf told the judge that if he got locked up, his children would get put into the foster care system and be split up.
“It’s been 22 years, and I’ve yet to get treatment for my addiction, and I have an opportunity now,” Dobbs said. “It’s time for me to change, I’ve been doing this for too long, and I’m tired of it.”
Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg said he had proposed if Dobbs spoke candidly with the detective about the location of the stolen property for the family and about other people involved, he’d accept Dobbs’ letter expressing Dobbs’ desire to better himself, for his children.
But he felt he still needed to recommend prison time, Eisenberg said.
The offense is a property crime, but it’s different, the deputy prosecutor said.
“One of the items stolen was literally the ashes of Walter Pettit,” he said. “The dignity he should have for his burial, the family’s not going to be able to get that back.”
Gary Ford was somber when he the told court his thoughts on the matter.
“My half brother is dead,” Ford said. “He struggled his whole life, but was a wonderful person who would do anything for anyone.”
Ford said he didn’t want any restitution, he’d rather the judge impose extra time instead.
He and his wife were going to bury his half brother with his mother, he said.
“But that’s not going to happen,” he said.
Lewis County Superior Court Judge Richard Brosey didn’t take long to make a decision. It was one of the more outrageous and egregious crimes he’d seen in awhile, he said.
“It’s one thing to steal from somebody,” Brosey said. “But taking family heirlooms warrants time in state prison.”
Brosey sentenced Dobbs for three separate offenses, with the time running concurrently.
For the theft, he gave him the top of the standard range of 18 months in prison. For the forgery, he gave him 12 months. And for a bail jumping charge that came about related to a methamphetamine possession conviction during the investigation, he gave him 22 months.
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For background, read “Centralia man charged with stealing dead man’s estate by faking a will” from Saturday April 11, 2015, here
What’s 22 months to a guy with the kind of character that tells him it’s okay to fake a dead man’s will? He’ll do his time, come out and probably go back to doing the kinds of things that got him in trouble in the first place. Would’ve been better to make his sentence times consecutive rather than concurrent.
I’d love to be wrong, but this is a 47-year-old man was doing meth and faking wills when he had access to his kids so I’m unconvinced the kids are really that important to him.
Your my boy blue! Ass clown