Posted in Felonies on November 10, 2014

William J. Hall, 46, is suspected of first-degree assault in Clark County following a gun confrontation. The Vancouver man allegedly pointed a gun at a witness who was calling 911 to report that he had pointed a gun at a group of teenage girls. Hall was held in lieu of $40,000 bail and a Vancouver defense attorney was appointed to represent him. His arraignment is scheduled for November 14.

A court affidavit indicates Hall said that he took the revolver out of his glove box when some teen girls tried to get in his car, and that one of the girls was armed with a hammer. Patrick Lenhart, 38, was one of at least three witnesses of the incident, which happened near the Safeway grocery store at 2615 N.E. 112^th Ave. in Vancouver.

Lenhart exited the vehicle he was riding in and called 911 from the roadside to report what he was seeing. Hall then allegedly pointed the loaded revolver at Lenhart. Lenhart said that he thought hall was going to shoot him. The two other confirmed witnesses, Jor-Dan Martell, 23, and Samuel Hernandez, 27, said they had also seen Hall pointing a silver revolver at the teenagers.

The teenagers were not located by police. The revolver was found in Hall’s glove box. The accused does not have a known criminal record.

Source: The Columbian, “Man allegedly aims gun at bystander calling 911,” Paris Achen, November 3, 2014.

The post Vancouver Man Accused of Pointing Gun At Witness appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on November 11, 2014

Brent W. Luyster, 34, pleaded guilty in Clark County Superior Court to rioting with a weapon. The Vancouver man was originally accused of a hate crime that was committed at Vancouver’s QuarterDeck bar in March 2013. Luyster accepted a plea deal and in exchange for his guilty plea prosecutors dismissed charges of second-degree assault, harassment and racially motivated malicious harassment. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

The senior deputy prosecutor agreed to the reduced charges because some witnesses of the incident had changed their stories. Luyster’s Vancouver defense attorney said that witnesses were recanting but there was enough exposure that Luyster did not want to risk going to trial.

Luyster was suspected of pointing a pistol at patrons of the tavern and threatening them because of their race. Court documents indicate that some of the targets were black. Robert Luyster, Brent Luyster’s brother, and Donald H. McElfish, a friend, were also charged for participating in the incident, but the charges were eventually dismissed. The three allegedly fled the scene when police arrived at the tavern.

Court records indicate that the Luysters are involved with skinhead groups.

Source: The Columbian, “Vancouver man gets 90 days in gun incident,” Paris Achen, October 23, 2014.

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Posted in Felonies on November 14, 2014

John L. Kalamafoni, 23, has been sentenced 120 days in jail with credit for 32 days served after pleading guilty to charges connected to art theft. The accused, along with Toakase Tovo, 20, stole over 130 pieces of Native American artwork in 2011 and 2012 from an elderly Vancouver woman with dementia. Tovo worked at the victim’s home as an in-home care provider.

They stole about $320,000 worth of art and sold it to collectors and antiques dealers around Portland. Kalamafoni was charged with first-degree theft, second-degree possession of stolen property and second-degree trafficking in stolen property. The Clark County Superior Court judge in his case ordered him to help Tovo pay $78, 455 in restitution on top of his jail sentence. Tovo was sentenced to 14 months in prison.

The adult children of the victim, Margaret Sotta, said that she is completely dependent on caregivers. Her husband, Robert Sotta, died in 2011 and left his large collection of Native American art to his wife. He had hired Lavinia’s Home Care and Placement Agency to care for him and his wife 24 days a day. Lavinia Tovo and her daughter, Toakase Tovo, were the caretakers. Their services were terminated in 2012. After the caretakers were terminated, the victim’s daughter noticed many of the art pieces were missing. Sotta’s children took inventory and discovered that 108 pieces had disappeared.

Investigators found some of the stolen pieces on an art gallery website, and a Portland antiques dealer and two Native American art collectors said they purchased some artwork from people matching the descriptions of Tovo and Kalamafoni.

Kalamafoni’s Vancouver defense attorney said that his client had a “lesser role” in the thefts than Toakase Tovo, emphasizing that he had not been the one working as Sotta’s care provider.

Source: The Columbian, “Man gets 120 days for his role in Vancouver art theft,” Patty Hastings, November 13, 2014.

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Posted in Felonies on November 15, 2014

John R. Lujan, 18, has been sentenced to 365 days of confinement after pleading guilty in Clark County to second-degree robbery. Lujan accepted a plea deal in which he was also required to testify against accomplices and co-defendants Calvin J. Quichocho, 22, and Brandon English, 21. In exchange prosecutors dismissed charges of two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree kidnapping and two counts of second-degree assault.

The judge also ordered Lujan to submit to a substance abuse evaluation and any treatment that may be recommended. He will be required to serve 12 months’ probation and is prohibited from having any contact with the victims for 10 years. Lujan has been in the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center for 323 days and is reportedly close to being out with reduced time for good behavior. Quichocho and English have each been found guilty by jury of two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree kidnapping and two counts of second-degree assault.

Lujan and English arranged to meet Austin Bondy at his apartment, telling him they would buy marijuana from him. However, when they arrived they tied up Bondy and Brittany Horn at gunpoint and stole valuables from them. Lujan’s Vancouver defense attorney said that his client was involved in trying to obtain marijuana in the robbery, but he did not know a third party was being brought aboard or that a gun would be involved.

Source: The Columbian, “Third accomplice gets a year in home-invasion robbery,” Paris Achen, October 24, 2014.

The post 18-Year-Old Sentenced for Robbery appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on November 18, 2014

Brandon C. Smith, 28, is scheduled to plead guilty on December 12 to charges related to the death of two women he allegedly struck with his vehicle in a hit-and-run in January, according to his Vancouver defense attorney. The Vancouver man allegedly hit and killed Raisa Mosh, 45, and Irina Gardinant, 28, at about 8 p.m. on January 19 and then left the scene in his vehicle without helping or seeking assistance for the victims. Mosh’s 12-year-old son was also injured in the incident.

Smith’s attorney is reportedly negotiating with prosecutors for a plea agreement. A deal has not been finalized but a plea change hearing has been scheduled. Smith is currently being charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and one count each of vehicular assault, felony hit and run, and tampering with physical evidence. If a plea agreement is reached, the charges could be amended.

Smith’s partner, Kalista Andino, 21, was charged with tampering with a witness but the charge was dismissed. His mother, Linda Diane Smith, has been accused of contacting at least two witnesses and telling them not to talk to police. Witness-tampering charges against her are currently pending. Her trial is scheduled for February 9.

Source: The Columbian, “Suspect in fatal hit and run expected to plead guilty,” Paris Achen, November 18, 2014.

The post Vancouver Man to Plead Guilty to Charges Related to Hit-and-Run Deaths appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on November 19, 2014

Fred James Engh, 31, has had his sentence for leading organized crime, money laundering and bail jumping reduced. The Vancouver man, who operated a multistate retail theft crime ring, pleaded guilty to the above felony charges in June. However, his Vancouver defense attorney reportedly made an error in calculating his sentencing range when she wrote on Engh’s signed guilty statement that the maximum sentence for the money laundering conviction was 10 years. It is actually eight years.

Engh’s attorney and the prosecutor had jointly argued for an eight year sentence, but the judge sentenced him to 10 years due to his apparent lack of remorse. The judge said that an error was being corrected by reducing his sentence by two years, and that the court’s intention was to give the highest sentence under the law and it was given incorrect information. Engh is now sentenced to eight years.

He accepted a plea deal in June in which prosecutors dismissed 54 other felony charges related to the crime ring he ran. He is also required to serve 18 months of probation and forfeit all of his assets. The crime ring that Engh was in charge of consisted of a network of shoplifters who stole items from stores and then returned it for store credit on gift cards. These shoplifters then sold the cards to Engh for 40 to 75 percent of their value, and he sold the cards online. The crime ring was active for at least three years in Washington, Oregon, and Nevada and reportedly victimized 35 retailers. JC Penney reported a 63 percent decline in return activity after Engh was arrested in 2013.

He posted bail and fled to Mexico in July 2013, and was apprehended in November 2013. His case currently has some issues under appeal, according to his attorney.

Source: The Columbian, “Vancouver crime ring leader’s sentence reduced,” Paris Achen, November 19, 2014.

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Posted in Felonies on November 21, 2014

Marie A. Berry, 35, has been sentenced to over five years in prison after pleading guilty to several commercial robberies in the last year. The Vancouver woman robbed seven businesses in April and June – two banks, two gas stations, a restaurant, a tanning salon and a department store. She pleaded guilty to the felony charges of first-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree robbery and possession of a stolen motor vehicle. In exchange, the deputy prosecutor dismissed six counts of first-degree robbery and two counts of second-degree theft.

Most recently, Berry went into Columbia Bank on N.E. 117^th Ave. in Vancouver at about 3:30 p.m. on June 26. She approached the counter and passed a note to the teller that read “Do not alert anyone, no cops. Five minutes. No bait money. One minute. Big bills first.” She allegedly fled with $2,225 in cash and stole a microcar to flee in. According to court records, on June 6 Berry presented a note demanding money at a Shell gas station on Andresen Road and implied that she had a weapon, though she did not show one. She reportedly left with $58.

She apparently used similar methods to rob a Tan Republic salon on June 4, a People’s Credit Union on April 27, a Pizza Hut on April 14, a Kohl’s on April 11, and another Shell gas station on April 5. Court records indicate that Berry was captured on surveillance video while casing other banks within 30 minutes of robbing Columbia bank. A witness overheard Berry speaking about the People’s Credit Union robbery.

Berry’s Vancouver defense attorney said that she did not have a criminal history before the robberies and that a methamphetamine addiction had driven her actions.

Source: The Columbian, “Serial robber gets five-year term,” Paris Achen, November 21, 2014.

The post Vancouver Woman Sentenced for Robberies appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on November 23, 2014

Albert W. Martofel, 42, pleaded guilty to first-degree theft in Clark County Superior Court. The Vancouver man stole a travel trailer from an 83-year-old man who uses it as a home. The accused was sentenced to five months in jail for the crime. Martofel entered an Alford plea, meaning that he officially acknowledged a jury could find him guilty but did not admit to committing the crime. In exchange the deputy prosecutor dismissed other charges: first-degree possession of stolen property and residential burglary.

On September 26 Bill Laubach, the owner of the trailer, parked it in front of a Walgreens in Vancouver and went across the street to McDonald’s. When he came back out he saw a white male suspect hooking up his trailer to a pickup truck and then driving away with it. Laubach said he ran after the vehicle but couldn’t catch up to it. Police responded but did not locate the suspect or the trailer.

The stolen trailer was spotted by a citizen and reported on October 1. Martofel was found inside and arrested, suspected of several crimes. The trailer was returned to Laubach by law enforcement. In a court hearing, Martofel claimed that he had bought the trailer from an individual and didn’t know that it had been stolen. He reportedly told his mother that he had purchased it at the Portland Auto Auction. Martofel’s Vancouver defense attorney, Nicholas Wood, said that the case would have been hotly contested at trial.

The judge was skeptical of the accused’s claims and sentenced him to five months of a possible two to six months confinement.

Source: The Columbian, “Man is given five months for stealing 83-year-old’s home,” Paris Achen, November 21, 2014.

The post Vancouver Man Sentenced for Theft appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on November 28, 2014

Ceasar A. Gonzalez, 24, has been arrested in Clark County in connection with a stabbing and robbery at a bar in Hazel Dell. The accused appeared in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of felony first-degree robbery and first-degree assault. He was held on $25,000 bail a Vancouver defense attorney was appointed to represent him. Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call about an altercation in the parking lot of Three Monkey’s Tavern on N.E. Highway 99.

On November 21 around 11:45 p.m. sheriff’s deputies were called to the parking lot of Three Monkeys Tavern, 7917 N.E. Highway 99, at about 11:45 p.m. Nov. 21 after a reported altercation. Upon arriving they discovered a 41-year-old man who had been stabbed multiple times and had wounds on his torso and extremities. Court documents indicate the victim told investigators that he was attacked by two Hispanic men when he confronted them about the apparent theft of his two cellphones, which he had set on the bar. He said that he had attempted to take his phone from Gonzalez’s hand and Gonzalez then repeatedly hit him in the head and knocked him to the ground. Gonzalez said he jumped on the victim and continued hitting him, and Apolonio Luna-Ruelas allegedly stabbed him several times. Both of the accused were gone when the deputies arrived.

The victim was transported to a hospital and had emergency surgery. His condition was not available.

Luna-Ruelas, 22, was also arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault and first-degree robbery. Court documents show that he confessed, saying it was all him and he had cut the victim.

Source: The Columbian, “Second man arrested in Hazel Dell bar stabbing,” Paris Achen, November 26, 2014.

The post Men Suspected of Felony Assault and Robbery in Hazel Dell appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on November 29, 2014

Neal Cedric Kelly, 27, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after the murder of a Vancouver woman and the stabbing of the man who tried to stop the accused from killing the mother of five. Kelly was reportedly under the influence of methamphetamine when the crimes were committed. Sterling Robin-Scott Shaver, the friend who attempted to save the murder victim, survived the attack but was severely injured and nearly died in surgery. He was stabbed 15 times and is still undergoing medical treatment.

Kelly killed Jennie Brill, 43, injured Shaver and assaulted a police officer on September 28, 2013, at a residence on N.E. 89^th Ave. in Vancouver. He pleaded guilty November 20 to felony charges of second-degree murder, first-degree assault and third-degree assault. The deputy prosecutor and Kelly’s Vancouver defense attorney jointly recommended a 25 year sentence. The judge sentenced him to 30 years, saying that she could not look at Brill’s family and Shaver and say 25 years was adequate.

Shaver said that he did not know Kelly had been released from jail three days before for assaulting his father when he offered him a place to stay the night of the attack. They had been friends for about 18 months. Kelly was not allowed to return home because of a no-contact order, but simply told Shaver he couldn’t go home. Shaver accepted this, saying he trusted Kelly. Kelly said in court that he felt remorse for the suffering he had caused and blamed the violent acts he committed on his use of methamphetamine. According to a court affidavit Kelly told investigators that he was on methamphetamine when he killed Brill in front of her daughter and six other people.

Kelly had reportedly started an argument with Nicholas S. Hammann, who he thought had taken $40. He then stabbed Brill for no apparent reason, and when Shaver intervened Kelly turned on him. Kelly then hit Hammann with a knife he had in a sheath on his leg and pulled on the hair of Theadora H. Hunsinger and threw her to the ground as she tried to flee. Hammann told police he yelled at Kelly to distract him from Hunsinger. When sheriff’s deputies arrived, Kelly threw a bookshelf at one of them, injuring him, and then dove through the living room window, breaking the glass. He told detectives later that he had stabbed a “witch” who came at him but didn’t remember anything else.

A psychologist from Western State Hospital reported that Kelly’s symptoms during the attack were consistent with methamphetamine use.

Source: The Columbian, “Killer of Vancouver mother of 5 sentenced to 30 years,” Paris Achen, November 25, 2014.

The post Man Sentenced for Drug-Fueled Murder and Felony Assault appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Domestic Violence on December 1, 2014

Maxine Fowlkes, 74, is suspected of shooting at her adult nephew, Vance Lasueur, 57, at his home in Vancouver. The Las Vegas woman has been held in Clark County Jail on $15,000 bail and a Vancouver defense attorney was appointed to defend her. Fowlkes is facing charges of first-degree domestic violence assault and felony domestic violence harassment. Her arraignment is scheduled for December 12.

Fowlkes was reportedly intoxicated and missed Lasueur when she allegedly fired a single round at him. No one was injured in the shooting. Police responded to several 911 calls reporting an incident in the Meadow Homes neighborhood. Callers reported that Fowlkes had made verbal threats and shot at her nephew, and was apparently upset about problems between Lasueur and his girlfriend Tattasha Beebe. Beebe said that Fowlkes went into their bedroom and threatened to kill the two of them. Beebe called the police and heard Lasueur tell her to run, and she ran outside and hid behind a bush as Lasueur ran across the street. Beebe then saw Fowlkes aim a firearm at her nephew and fire.

Fowlkes went outside to meet the police when they arrived. She was unarmed and taken into custody without incident. Fowlkes stated that she was staying with Lasueur in Vancouver and was planning on going back to Nevada.

Source: The Columbian, “Nev. woman accused of shooting at nephew in Vancouver,” Paris Achen, December 1, 2014.

The post Nevada Woman Charged in Clark County After Domestic Violence-Related Shooting appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on December 4, 2014

John Garrett Smith, 46, has been found guilty of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault in Clark County. The clean energy entrepreneur attacked his wife last year inside their home. He was acquitted of first-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault. His sentencing has been scheduled for December 22.

Smith punched his wife, Sheryl Smith, several times in the face and grabbed her by the neck. The attack was at first suspected to be a severe domestic violence-related assault, but after an audio recording of the attack on the defendant’s cellphone was found the deputy prosecutor was able to charge him with attempted murder. Smith said “I will kill you” to his wife during the attack, and the threat was caught on the recording.

According to the prosecutor he quit strangling Sheryl Smith when she lost consciousness and seemed to have stopped breathing, and then fled their home, apparently leaving her for dead. The judge said that he was convinced Smith had formed the intent to kill his wife, but that he was not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that he had planned the attempted murder ahead of time, which would have been required for a first-degree murder conviction.

Garrett Smith declined trial in front of a jury, and in court stated that he had not tried to kill his wife and that the words in the audio recording were taken out of context. He claimed that he was trying to say “If we drink like this and we fight like this, we are going to kill each other.” Smith admitted that he punched Sheryl Smith but denied strangling her. The prosecutor pointed out inconsistencies in Garrett Smith’s past accounts of the incident.

Sheryl Smith suffered several injuries, including a broken nose, a concussion, a back injury, cuts and bruises, and cognitive damage, including memory loss. She said that she has had to undergo occupational, speech and physical therapy to recover her speech and mobility. Garrett Smith’s Vancouver defense attorney argued that her client’s wife had financial motive to exaggerate her injuries because while her husband has been incarcerated she has been in control of his businesses and possibly profiting from them. The prosecutor pointed out that, to the contrary, Sheryl Smith had to move out of their $1.3 million home to live in a garage because of financial difficulties.

Source: The Columbian, “Vancouver man found guilty of trying to kill his wife,” Paris Achen, December 3, 2014.

The post Local Entrepreneur Found Guilty of Attempted Murder appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on December 8, 2014

Joseph M. White, 21, has pleaded guilty in Clark County Superior Court to three counts of first-degree robbery, one count of third-degree assault and one count of residential burglary. The Vancouver man was sentenced to over 11 years in prison for participating in three armed robberies last January.

White robbed a Star Mart convenience store in the Ogden neighborhood on January 11, and on January 25 he robbed a pedestrian in Rose Village and a 7-Eleven convenience store in Bagley Downs. Two other men were with White during the Star Mart robbery. They entered the store at around 3:50 a.m. and White, armed with a .22 caliber pistol, jumped on the counter and pointed the gun at the cashier, demanding money. A court affidavit says he fired a round into the front window of the store.

Two weeks later a man was robbed by four men while walking near East 30^th and V streets at about 3:41 a.m. The suspects got out of a car and demanded the pedestrian’s wallet and money. One of them stood behind the victim and fired a handgun into the air. It has been reported that there may have been a fifth person driving the car. At about 4:57 a.m. of the same morning White was one of four unidentified males in the 7-Eleven on N.E. Fourth Plain Boulevard during an armed robbery. He fired one round into the floor behind the counter while another robber took cash from the register, according to police.

Source: The Columbian, “Man sentenced to 11 years in robberies,” Paris Achen, November 27, 2014.

The post Vancouver Man Sentenced for Robberies appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on December 10, 2014

Matthew S. Purifoy, 33, has been accused of hitting and killing a member of a work crew in Clark County while driving erratically. The Portland man is facing charges of vehicular homicide and hit-and-run death. He allegedly fled the scene after hitting the victim, Anita Walters, 57, with his car. Police stated that they suspect he may have been driving impaired.

Purifoy was held in lieu of $500,000 bail and a Vancouver defense attorney was appointed to represent him. His arraignment has been scheduled for December 19. The deputy prosecutor said that the accused has a history of reckless driving, hit-and-run and driving under the influence this year, as well as hit-and-run and bail jumping in 2013.

Several people called 911 at about 11:15 a.m. to report that a maroon Monte Carlo with a damaged left taillight was driving recklessly on Interstate 205, heading north. The car hit a pickup truck on the northbound side of the I-205 bridge and kept going. An affidavit said that the driver of the suspect vehicle appeared to be falling asleep, veering from side-to-side and drooling. A witness followed the driver and put on their hazard lights.

The suspect then took Highway 500 west and hit a light pole before exiting onto Northeast Andresen Road. The driver traveled north on Andresen Road at about 60 mph, reportedly swerving back and forth between the northbound and southbound lanes, then drove on the sidewalk north of Northeast Vancouver Mall Drive, where the victim and another county work crew member were walking. Walters was struck by the vehicle and died at the scene. The suspect continued driving north and then crashed the car into a retaining wall.

The driver was taken into custody, and an arresting officer reported that the suspect had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol. A warrant was obtained to take a sample of Purifoy’s blood for a drug/alcohol test. Purifoy stated in a police interview that he didn’t know he had hit Walters with his car. The incident is still being investigated.

Source: The Columbian, “Suspect in court in fatal pedestrian hit and run,” Paris Achen, December 9, 2014.

The post Portland Man Facing Charges After Hit-And-Run Death appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on December 13, 2014

Lonzo Deshawn Murphy, 22, has been arrested in Portland on a parole violation and is a “person of interest” in the Friday shooting outside Rosemary Anderson High School in North Portland. The Portland man was taken into custody on Saturday and police are still searching for two more suspects. Officers have reportedly found a handgun that is consistent with the case, but it has not been officially confirmed that it is the firearm that was used in the shooting.

Four students at the high school were injured in the attack. Taylor Michelle Zimmers, 16, was shot in the chest and is currently in serious condition at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. Labraye Quavon Franklin, 17, and David Joshua Jackson-Liday, 20, are in fair condition at Legacy, and Olyvia Lynn Batson, 17, was treated at the scene for a bullet graze wound on the foot.

Police say they suspected Murphy soon after the shooting occurred, and they identified the attack as a gang-related incident immediately. One of the victims was reportedly a known and designated gang member. Murphy was arrested on a parole violation stemming from a 2013 robbery conviction and taken to the Justice Center jail in Portland. He is being held without bail. In June 2013 he pleaded no contest to one count of second-degree robbery and one count of third-degree assault. Murphy was also convicted of interfering with public transportation and theft of services in late 2012.

Source: Oregon Live, “Killingsworth shooting: Portland police arrest “person of interest,” looking for two others,” Andrew Theen, December 13, 2014.

The post Portland Man Suspected in Shooting appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on December 14, 2014

A local homeless man, Josue J. Martinez-Carcamo, 19, was in Clark County Superior Court accused of the robbery of a Chevron convenience store in east Vancouver.

The manager of the store called 911 at about 3:15 p.m. to report that the store had been robbed at knifepoint. She told police that a man had come up behind her and said, “Give me the money.” When she turned around she saw that he was holding a kitchen knife. He repeated his demand and she told her coworker to open the till. The man reached in and took the cash, and also stole several packs of cigarettes and cigars before fleeing. When he was outside the manager hit the store’s alarm. The suspect left with $137.88. Another employee heard the alarm and ran out to follow the robber, but lost him.

While searching the area, Vancouver police found Martinez-Carcamo. He partially matched the suspect description but was not wearing the mask, jacket or backpack that witnesses had reported. He was carrying a wad of money in his back pocket and money in his wallet that amounted to $174. A jacket and backpack containing a kitchen knife were found nearby.

Martinez-Carcamo was arrested and booked into Clark County Jail, suspected of first-degree robbery. His bail was set at $50,000.

Source: The Columbian, “Homeless man accused of gas-station robbery,” Patty Hastings, December 12, 2014.

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Posted in Felonies on December 16, 2014

Gregory Glanville, 57, has been sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison for the robbery of K&S Wholesale in Forest Grove, Oregon. He signed a plea agreement in which he admitted to one count of attempted aggravated murder and two counts of first-degree robbery with a firearm. In court, Glanville stood with his Portland defense attorney and apologized to the owners for the trauma he caused and thanked his lawyers and the prosecutor.

Glanville entered the auto wholesale on April 9 carrying a loaded pistol. His face was hidden behind a bandana. When Scott Page, the owner of the dealership, did not offer him cash right away, he fired the gun into a wall. Page gave Glanville his wallet and then attempted to get the gun from him, causing Glanville to fire another round, which missed Page.

Witnesses saw Glanville go into the business and called police, who surrounded the building. Page’s wife managed to escape outside with the couple’s child. Page managed to take the gun from Glanville and then ran outside. Glanville stayed inside for hours. Police believed him to be armed with a rifle, which was later found to be a BB gun.

Glanville called an acquaintance during the standoff with police and reportedly said he was cornered by law enforcement and scared. He was taken into custody after police deployed tear gas.

Source: Oregon Live, “Gregory Glanville, who robbed Forest Grove business before standoff, gets 17 years in prison,” Emily E. Smith, December 16, 2014.

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Posted in Felonies on December 17, 2014

A defendant in Multnomah County, Oregon, has been sentenced for the molestation of a transgender teenager (who identifies as male).

The 38-year-old was close to the victim, who reportedly viewed him as his best friend. In December 2013, the older man gave the boy alcohol, got him drunk and subjected him to sexual abuse. The teen was abused for three months before he told an adult.

A Portland defense attorney argued for probation, but the judge sentenced the defendant to three years in prison, saying that she had taken multiple factors into consideration, such as the vulnerability of the victim – the victim’s parents had recently separated and the judge felt he was also likely dealing with emotionally challenging issues of gender identity. She said she was also considering sentences judges had given others in similar cases.

The defendant was sentenced after pleading guilty to 33 counts of second-degree sexual abuse in October. When the judge gave the defendant a chance to speak in court, he declined. The deputy district attorney involved in the prosecution of the case asked for a five-year sentence. The defendant will be required to register as a sex offender and is prohibited from being around minors, including his own children. He will begin serving his sentence in January.

Source: Oregon Live, “Molested transgender teen tells abuser: ‘You were … my best friend and now you are my nightmare‘,” Aimee Green, December 17, 2014.

The post Multnomah County Defendant Sentenced for Sexual Abuse appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on December 21, 2014

Luka I. Tapuaialupe, 30, has been sentenced to 5 ½ years in prison after negligently causing a June 7 vehicle crash that led to the death of Greg Throkildson, 40, and the serious injury of Jennifer Wade, 37. The Vancouver man fled the scene on foot after the collision.

Tapuaialupe was driving under the influence of alcohol and marijuana, driving with a suspended license, and driving a Ford Bronco that had defective brakes. The prosecutor argued that he was aware of the problem with the brakes, and an empty bottle of brake fluid was found in his vehicle by detectives. The Bronco was traveling at 50 mph in a 20 mph zone when it hit the driver’s side of Thorkildson’s vehicle, killing the victim instantly. Tapuaialupe’s Vancouver defense attorney argued that the speed limit is 30 to 35 mph at that intersection.

The accused and his passenger, Jacob Pratt, 27, reportedly checked on the victims and found Thorkildson unresponsive and Wade moaning in pain. They fled on foot and called a taxi, and were found about an hour later in a search of the area.

Tapuaialupe accepted a plea agreement in which the prosecutor agreed to recommend a five year sentence in exchange for a guilty plea to vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and hit-and-run causing death.

Source: The Columbian, “Driver gets max in June 7 fatal hit-run,” Paris Achen, December 19, 2014.

The post Vancouver Man Sentenced for Hit-and-Run appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.

Posted in Felonies on December 27, 2014

Darrel James Dwight, 52, is suspected of possessing child pornography and is facing federal charges as well as charges in Clark County. The Vancouver man is a Boy Scouts leader and works as a substitute teacher for Evergreen Public Schools.

The federal charges stem from accusations that he ordered child pornography from a company in Canada and had it shipped to the United States. In Clark County, he is being charged with 10 counts of possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He is being held in the Clark County Jail on $25,000 bail and a Vancouver defense attorney was appointed to defend him. His arraignment is scheduled for January 8.

Dwight was arrested this week after investigators for the U.S. Inspection Service served a search warrant for his person and residence. While searching his pockets, officers found two thumb drives. The drives were searched by a U.S. Homeland Security forensic special agent and 600 images (photos and videos) were found, including depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit activity. Much of the content reportedly featured male children between the ages of 8 and 12.

Dwight has reportedly served as a director for Stephenson Children Care Association Inc. and stated on a supervised release form that he has worked as a substitute teacher for grades K-8 for the Evergreen Public School district for five years, though an officer wrote in an affidavit that Dwight had worked for the district full-time for 10 years. He is also treasurer for a local Boy Scouts troop.

Source: The Columbian, “Teacher, Scouts leader accused of having child porn,” Paris Achen, December 26, 2014.

The post Vancouver Man Accused of Possessing Child Pornography appeared first on LawBlogVancouver.