Repeat offender charged after string of Bellevue residential burglaries
A repeat residential burglary suspect — a man suspected in more than a dozen Bellevue cases and who investigators say targets Eastside residences — was charged with multiple felony counts by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. He remains in jail on a total bail amount of $200,000.
In four ongoing cases, the defendant is facing 15 felonies:
- 10 counts of residential burglary
- 2 counts of attempted residential burglary
- 1 count of theft of a firearm
- 1 count of unlawful possession of a firearm
- 1 count of trafficking in stolen property in the first degree
As we have in previous cases, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office asked that the defendant be held in jail on bail because he’s a danger to the community and unlikely to appear in court if released.
At his first appearance in the most recent Bellevue investigation — filed as case 21–1–06857–2 — we asked a judge to set bail at $50,000. The judge agreed.
Between Oct. 15 and Dec. 18, 2021, Bellevue Police documented at least 14 nighttime residential burglaries or attempted burglaries. Of those, victims were inside during 11 of them. In five of those, victims woke up and observed or yelled at the suspect.
The suspect description was similar in several of the cases, which included a white male wearing a dark hooded jacket, face mask and backpack. There were other similarities, including that all the victim residences were either apartments, condominiums or townhomes, and all entry locations were at or near ground level and accessible from the exterior.
All the cases happened in the early morning hours, primarily between 3 and 6:30 a.m., Bellevue Police told us.
Investigators said in several cases an intruder would go into the same room where a victim was sleeping, and often attempted to conceal actions by closing a door or attempting to replace window screens when leaving. Victims’ purses or wallets were often targeted with valuable electronics left behind in plain view. There were no physical confrontations in any of the cases, Bellevue Police said.
Of the charges referred to us under the most recent Bellevue Police investigation, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office reviewed each individually and determined we could prove seven charges beyond a reasonable doubt before a jury: five counts of residential burglary and two counts of attempted residential burglary. The remaining charges can be potentially reviewed again if additional evidence becomes available.
The defendant is scheduled for an arraignment on Wednesday, Jan. 12 in the King County Courthouse. An arraignment is where a plea is entered.
This is one of four pending cases charged by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. We have argued against his release in each of those cases.
Here are the details on other three other ongoing cases:
20–1–05619–3: This case was rush filed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in November 2020 following a Kirkland Police investigation. The defendant was charged with trafficking in stolen property in the first degree. At the first appearance, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office asked a judge to hold him in jail on $5,000 bail. However, a judge set bail at $1,000. The defendant was released by a judge in this case with GPS monitoring on Jan. 13, 2021. He was released by the judge on the condition that he attend substance abuse treatment. A bench warrant was issued Oct. 21, 2021 for violation of his electronic home monitoring, and the defendant also failed to appear at a court hearing.
20–1–07528–7: Charged with residential burglary (four counts), theft of a firearm, and unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree. This is a Bellevue Police investigation. This case was filed (after an independent review) the day it was received from Bellevue Police, Nov. 3, 2020. A warrant also was issued that day. On Jan. 13, 2021, the same judge in case 20–1–05619–3 (the Kirkland residential burglary and theft of a firearm case) also released him to electronic home monitoring in this Bellevue case. He was released by the judge on the condition that he attend substance abuse treatment. A bench warrant was issued Oct. 21, 2021 for violation of his electronic home monitoring, and the defendant also failed to appear at a court hearing.
21–1–06851–3: Case was filed on Dec. 23, 2021 after additional information was received from law enforcement. The defendant was arrested that day on the bench warrants in the previous cases where he was released by a judge. In this case (21–1–06851–3), the defendant is charged with one count of residential burglary in a Redmond Police case. He was booked into jail by the Sheriff’s Office and remains in jail.
This text, posted on Jan. 11, 2022, is not expected to be updated. Case updates can be found through the King County Electronic Court Records system using the four case numbers: 21–1–06857–2, 20–1–05619–3, 20–1–07528–7, 21–1–06851–3.
