Posts Tagged ‘By Sharyn L. Decker’

Theft charge filed for alleged misappropriation by volunteer firefighter

Thursday, January 4th, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 25-year-old Mineral resident has been charged with  alleged misuse of a fire department department gas card while he was a volunteer firefighter.

Brady J. Mounce was summonsed into Lewis County Superior Court and appeared before a judge yesterday afternoon.

Temporary defense attorney Rachael Tiller said her client works as a farm hand and his earnings indicated he was eligible for a court appointed lawyer.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer requested Mounce’s bail be set with a $10,000 unsecured bond and Judge Joely O’Rourke agreed.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said this summer a detective investigated after a Washington State Auditor’s Office report came back showing misappropriation of fuel from Lewis County Fire District 9 in Mineral. Mounce was a volunteer and his father was fire chief.

In June, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said the information showed some of the activity occurred in the Morton area and some in Eatonville. Theft charges were filed in Pierce County, Breen said.

Lewis County prosecutors filed a charge of second-degree theft against Mounce on Dec. 5.

The affidavit regarding probable cause states the issue arose at the Jan. 24, 2016 fire commissioner’s meeting after the acting fire chief scrutinized a fuel bill from Stanley’s Oil Company and found Mounce’s use of the card did not match the run sheets. The matter was forwarded to the state auditor.

Sheriff’s detective Gene Seiber spoke with a fire commissioner who said she had recently resigned because of the issue.

Seiber wrote in his police report that the auditor’s findings showed Mounce made 20 purchases of fuel at Stanley’s Petroleum in Morton, totaling $1,503.12.

The time period of the activity is shown as three years during 2013, 2014, 2015 and through Jan. 1, 2016.

Detective Seiber spoke with the acting chief who told him Mounce had admitted to the “whole thing” in both counties, but when Seiber attempted to talk with Mounce, Mounce denied doing anything in Morton, according to charging documents.

After his court hearing yesterday, outside the courtroom, Mounce said he didn’t have any comment about his case. He will be represented by Centralia attorney David Brown.

His arraignment is scheduled for next Thursday.
•••

For background, read “News brief: Mineral Fire Department audit shows fuel misappropriation” from Wednesday June 14, 2017, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Thursday, January 4th, 2018
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•••

PHONE STOLEN

• Jason A. Landry, 40, of Centralia was arrested for second-degree robbery after police were called about 9:20 a.m. yesterday to Harrison Avenue and First Street in Centralia. Landry was was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department. The incident reportedly involved a phone and a shove, police indicated.

FRAUD

• A Chehalis resident on Southwest 16th Street called police yesterday evening to report the discovery of fraudulent charges on her credit card and that she needed a case number for her bank, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• Centralia police were called about 9:35 p.m. yesterday to take a report that a wallet was stolen from a vehicle and a credit card it contained was used at an ATM a short time later. The case is associated with the 2200 block of Cooks Hill Road, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Police were called just after noon on Monday to the 100 block of Engle Drive in Mossyrock by an individual who said she discovered more than $900 had been wrongfully charged to her credit card.

MISSING MAIL

• Centralia police were called about 7:50 a.m. yesterday regarding the theft of mail from the 700 block of West Third Street.

VANDALISM

• Centralia police took a report just before 8 a.m. yesterday about a sign on the 400 block of East Summa Street getting spay painted during the night.

UNHAPPY NEW YEAR

• A 22-year-old Randle resident was arrested after police were called about 2 a.m. on Monday to the 400 block of First Street in Morton where a resident said he woke up to a stranger urinating in his driveway and then wanting to come inside. The suspect reportedly told an officer he was told he could crash at the home because he was intoxicated, according to the Morton Police Department. Mark D. John was booked into the Lewis County Jail for causing a breach of public peace, according to police.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reports seven deputies conducted a traffic emphasis on Jackson Highway in Chehalis between 3 p.m. and midnight on Saturday issuing 44 warnings and three infractions as well as finding one person wanted on an outstanding warrant and two drivers with suspended licenses.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, fourth-degree assault; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, trespassing, hit and run, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances, misdemeanor assault, third-degree theft, protection order violation … and more among 163 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m.

Caretaker who spent deceased client’s money headed to prison

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A Winlock woman who admitted to second-degree theft from the estate of an individual she was a caretaker for was sentenced today to a year and a day in prison.

The attorney for Aurora S. Fulmer, who also uses the last name of Contreras, hoped to persuade a judge to impose a parenting sentencing alternative, but Lewis County Superior Court Judge James Lawler said no.

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Aurora S. Fulmer

Fulmer was arrested in June following an investigation by the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, after the estranged daughter of a Centralia woman who died found Fulmer at her mother’s home and discovered she had taken over bank accounts.

The sheriff’s office initially suggested Fulmer wrongfully withdrew more than $43,000 from two of the woman’s accounts.

But Fulmer, 34, pleaded guilty in November to one count of second-degree theft (more than $750 but less than $5,000) and three counts of second-degree identity theft in a plea deal with prosecutors.

Defense attorney Shane O’Rourke pitched what he called a pretty elaborate program of supervision and said it included being sent to prison if she failed to comply. He called it a complicated case, for the mother of six who had gotten clean and is working full time.

“There was some indication my client made arrangements to have some of the money in exchange for taking care of her,” O’Rourke said. “She did take care of her for a significant time

“But that’s irrelevant, it would still be a crime for her to rifle through the money like this without probate.”

Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Joel DeFazio said the state opposed the sentencing alternative.

The deceased woman’s daughter told the judge the past year has been a nightmare and she didn’t want anyone else to have to deal with what she had to.

Fulmer told the judge she understood better the stress she put the woman’s daughter through, after hearing her speak in court.

Judge Lawler ordered Fulmer directly into custody from the hearing.
•••

For background, read “Caretaker who spent deceased client’s money pleads guilty” from Friday November 10, 2017, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2018
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•••

FOUND INSIDE CRAWL SPACE

• A 26-year-old Tenino resident was arrested last night after a maintenance person responding for a large water leak at an apartment building on the 300 block of North Tower Avenue discovered a person inside the roof crawl space area. Tavrin R.C. O’Day allegedly had broken a hot water pipe which caused a large amount of water to seep through the building floors and caused major damage, according to the Centralia Police Department. The damage is estimated in excess of $7,000, according to police. O’Day was booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree burglary, according to the Centralia Police Department.

ROBBERY

• A 39-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for second-degree robbery yesterday in an approximately 1 p.m. case associated with a location at the 600 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia. Tanya M. Cruz was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

EXTORTION

• Chehalis police called just after 9 a.m. yesterday to the 300 block of West Main Street about a violation of a court order via text messaging are referring a case to prosecutors for a charge of second-degree extortion, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

HANDBAG STOLEN

• Centralia police were called to a store at the 500 block of Harrison Avenue about 7:15 p.m. yesterday where a purse was stolen while its owner was shopping.

BAD BILL

• Police were called about 1:45 p.m. yesterday regarding a counterfeit $20 bill being passed at the 1200 block of Belmont Avenue in Centralia.

VANDALISM

• An officer was called about 8:40 p.m. yesterday to the 600 block of Southwest Chehalis Avenue where someone had tagged a garage with spray paint.

• Chehalis police were called about 11:10 a.m. yesterday to take a report of a garage getting tagged at the 200 block of Southwest 11th Street.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for drugs, warrants, trespassing, third-degree theft, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, shoplifting, hit and run, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances … and more among 133 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018
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•••

Updated

BURGLARY

• A deputy was called to the 400 block of Hemenway Road in Winlock about 8:45 p.m. on Sunday where an unknown person made entry through an unsecured  sliding glass door at a home and left with a safe and the paperwork inside it.

• A deputy was called about 1:40 p.m. on Sunday to take a report of a break-in to a storage unit at the 1500 block of Bishop Road, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The lock was cut and the victim reported the only item that seemed to be missing was a box of shotgun shells, according to the sheriff’s office.

• A deputy responded to the 2900 hundred block of U.S. Highway 12 in Silver Creek on Friday after an individual arrived and discovered the window of their front door had been broken and someone had entered the residence sometime during the previous two months. Missing from the garage was a a commercial tile saw, valued at $1,200, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

THREAT

• A 23-year-old Centralia man who allegedly threatened to harm a family member was arrested for felony harassment after police were called about 5 p.m. yesterday to the 100 block of Southwest Interstate Avenue in Chehalis. Jacob S. Drury was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

FRAUD

• Chehalis police were called about 2 p.m. on Friday to take a report of a fraud in a case associated with the 2500 block of North National Avenue.

VEHICLE THEFT

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reports they are investigating the theft of a $5,000 black Maxey utility dump trailer stolen from a parking lot at the 1500 block of Bishop Road in Chehalis sometime between last Tuesday and Wednesday. The trailer’s license plate reads 3328 VM, according to the sheriff’s office. Inside the trailer was a $1,000 Dynapac model LF380 gravel compactor which is also missing, Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said.

• A deputy was called on Saturday morning to take a report of the theft of a 1995 Saturn from the 300 block of Hawkins Road in Winlock and yesterday when the suspect returned the car, she was arrested for motor vehicle theft, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Carly R. Holmes, 38, from Chehalis, was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

CAR PROWL

• Chehalis police were called just after noon on Friday about an overnight vehicle prowl at the 400 block of Southwest William Avenue. An electronic tablet was taken, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

BAD BILL

• Chehalis police were called on Saturday to a business on the 300 block of Northwest State Avenue which reported accepting a $50 bill that turned out to be fake.

DRUGS

• A 25-year-old man arrested about 11:25 p.m. yesterday for an outstanding warrant at Harrison Avenue and First Street in Centralia was also arrested for  possession of methamphetamine. Marcus J. Brennan, a homeless person, was was booked into the Lewis County Jail. according to the Centralia Police Department. The case is being referred to prosecutors also for is also being referred for possession of heroin and cocaine, according to police.

• Chehalis police called about 3 p.m. yesterday about a disorderly person at the 600 block of North National Avenue ended up arresting a 37-year-old Chehalis resident for a drug violation. Terry L. Bryan was first arrested for disorderly conduct and then a search turned up small crystalized rocks that field tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Bryan was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• A 30-year-old Chehalis woman was arrested for possession of methamphetamine when she was searched after she was picked up for an outstanding warrant at about 12:25 on Sunday at the 4100 block of Jackson Highway, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Natasha C. Pogue was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

VANDALISM

• Chehalis police were called on Saturday by an individual who said their car was egged during the night on the 600 block of Northwest Pennsylvania Avenue.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A 57-year-old Chehalis woman was arrested for driving under the influence after police began to receive calls about 6:20 p.m. on Saturday of a vehicle hitting the side of the courthouse, taking out a fire hydrant, hitting a car, hitting a truck and driving over curbs and through a planting bed before finally parking in a driveway on the 500 block of Jefferson Street in Chehalis. Debra Adair Keys was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• A 48-year-old Chehalis man was arrested for hit and run after an officer was called just after 9 a.m. on Friday regarding an incident at the 1300 block of Northwest Maryland Avenue in Chehalis. Richard T. Jones was located and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for drugs, warrants, hit and run, trespassing, third-degree theft, fourth-degree domestic assault, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, third-degree malicious mischief; responses for alarm, dispute, harassment, civil issue, shoplifting, hit and run, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances … and more among 418 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 72-hour period ending about 7 a.m.

Marijuana cultivation: Winlock operation was “huge”

Saturday, December 30th, 2017
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Chanh Nguyen is seated next to temporary defense attorney Rachael Tiller, while his co-defendants look on; far right is Nga Dong and adjacent is Hai Son Le

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – After a 33-year-old San Jose man was arrested for growing more than 600 marijuana plants at property he said he rents from his sister-in-law across the street from Vader City Hall early this month, drug detectives found power records inside his vehicle for an address on Nelson Road north of Winlock.

When the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant this week on Nelson Road, they found more than 1,500 plants in a two-story outbuilding growing in five separate rooms and two other growing rooms in the residence, along with packaging equipment and materials.

Power consumption records from Lewis County PUD showed over 120,000 kilowatt hours for the last billing cycles.

The electric bill was in the name of Chanh Nguyen, 39, from San Jose, according to authorities.

Nguyen and two other men were found in the outbuilding on Thursday by deputies when the search was conducted and were arrested.

Nguyen said he rents the property for about $1,700 a month, had been there for about four months and did not have authorization for the grow, according to prosecutors.

Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher was clearly frustrated when the three men were brought before a judge in Lewis County Superior Court yesterday afternoon.

“This is not a couple of hippies growing a couple of plants in the backyard,” Meagher said.

The unlawful indoor growing operation was huge, perhaps the largest he has seen in Lewis County, according to Meagher.

“This is at least the fourth one we’ve had this year, like this,” he said.

Manufacture of marijuana is a class C felony with a maximum penalty of five years in prison, the same punishment as simple possession of narcotics.

“I just don’t know how you can look at the size of this and not think it’s organized crime,” Meagher said.

He asked for $100,000 bail for each of the three defendants, but Judge Joely O’Rourke imposed $50,000 and restricted their travel to Western Washington.

Also appearing before the judge were Hai Son Le, 39, Fort Lauderdale and Nga Dong, 65, also from Fort Lauderdale. All three used the services of a Vietnamese translator.

The Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office charged them with manufacture of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver or manufacture, and possession of marijuana.

Charging documents in the case describe a set up with numerous grow lights, air-moving fans and carbon filters which Meagher said are used to keep the odor from drifting outdoors.

Outside the courtroom, Meagher said he doesn’t yet know who owns the house on Nelson Road.

This case grew out of the Vader case, which in turn, was discovered because the Vader arrestee’s driver’s license was found at a growing operation in Grayland in Pacific County.

That was part of a series of at least 50 search warrants served in Grays Harbor and two other counties late last month. The Grays Harbor County Drug Task Force oversaw the arrests and seizure of more than 32,000 marijuana plants valued in excess of $80 million.

It followed an investigation into illegal marijuana growing operations by Chinese nationals, primarily in homes purchased with cash for that purpose.

Grays Harbor County Sheriff Rick Scott told The (Aberdeen) Daily World the reason 31 of the suspects were released without charges was it appeared they were brought to the United States from China under the impression they would pay off their debt of transportation and other costs after the crop was sold, a crop they were led to believe was legal; he called it a form of human trafficking.

Asked if any similar claim of being victims of human trafficking had come up in this case, Meagher said two of the defendants didn’t or couldn’t talk with law enforcement when they were arrested.

“I don’t have anything solid, but I have a suspicion,” Meagher said.

Temporary defense attorney Rachael Tiller said after the court hearing, it seemed to her the three men did not know each other.

Their arraignments are scheduled for Jan. 4 in Lewis County Superior Court.

All three men appear to have bailed out of the Lewis County Jail shortly after midnight last night, according to the jail’s online roster.
•••

For background, read:

• “Vader indoor marijuana nursery shut down” from Tuesday December 12, 2017, here

• “Illegal marijuana growing by Chinese nationals targeted in Grays Harbor County” from Tuesday November 28, 2017, here

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Defendants left to right: Chanh Nguyen, Hai Son Le and Nga Dong talk with a Vietnamese interpreter before their bail hearing

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Saturday, December 30th, 2017
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•••

ON THE ROAD, ON THE HOOD

• A 14-year-old girl was hospitalized after she was hit by a car yesterday evening in a crosswalk near Safeway in Chehalis. Firefighters called about 5:15 p.m. to South Market Boulevard at 11th Street found she was not injured too seriously, her only complaints were pain in her hand and wrist, according to the Chehalis Fire Department. “It appears she maybe rode on the hood aways and when the (driver) stopped, she fell off the hood,” Fire Capt. Ted McCarty said. The patient was transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, according to McCarty. He noted it was dark out and she was wearing dark clothing.

ON THE ROAD, IN FRONT OF SEMI TRUCK

• Three people were hurt when a rear-end collision on Interstate 5 south of Chehalis shoved a 2014 Mini Cooper in front of a semi truck yesterday afternoon. Troopers called about 2:45 p.m. to the northbound lanes near milepost 72 cited the 30-year-old Seattle man driving a 2006 Saab 9-2 with following too closely, according to the Washington State Patrol. He was uninjured as was the driver of the 2016 Great Dane semi, according to the state patrol. The occupants of the Mini Cooper were transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. They are driver Susan S. Hope, 53, of Portland; passenger Lindsay M. Hope, 19, from Portland; and passenger Ren W. Hope, 22, from Corvallis, Oregon.

BURGLARY CENTRALIA

• A residence in the 1000 block of West Chestnut Street in Centralia was entered and construction tools stolen, according to a report made to police just before 1 p.m. yesterday.

• Police were called just before 11 a.m. yesterday to the 500 block of Hillkress Street in Centralia where an unknown person had gone inside a residence and stole miscellaneous documents.

AUTO THEFT

• Centralia police were called just after 2 p.m. yesterday about a 1997 Honda Civic stolen overnight from the 1000 block of West First Street.  The vehicle was later recovered a few blocks away but the tires were missing, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CAR PROWL

• Police were called about 2:20 p.m. yesterday about a vehicle prowl at the 2900 block of Mount Vista Road in Centralia. An attempt to remove the stereo caused some damage, according to the Centralia Police Department.

VANDALISM

• Centralia police are investigating an incident of malicious mischief reported just before 4:30 p.m. yesterday in which someone entered a building on the 700 block of Pioneer Way.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, fourth-degree domestic assault, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances … and more among 157 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m.