16-Time Convicted Felon Arrested
16-Time Convicted Felon Arrested Again
This past weekend, the Tukwila Police Department was contacted by several victims after their search for stolen tools and equipment led them to a residence in the 14900 block of 57th Ave S and another in the 14900 block of 58th Ave S. The victims were devastated, as the stolen tools had effectively crippled their ability to earn a living and support their families. The initial thefts occurred in several different jurisdictions in the region.
Although officers were limited in what they could do at the time due to a lack of information and available resources, the Special Emphasis Unit (SEU) took on the case after being advised of it. Within a day, SEU detectives connected the stolen items and the suspect to two commercial burglaries that had occurred in the City of Federal Way and the City of Kent then conducted an undercover operation to apprehend the suspect.
The suspect in this case has 16 prior felony convictions, is actively on Department of Corrections supervision. He was arrested and sentenced to prison in 2021 for similar crimes after an extensive operation that recovered thousands in stolen property (see link below). During that arrest, an AK-47 was located. During yesterday’s operation, Tukwila SWAT members and our Police K‑9 assisted SEU. When the suspect arrived at a commercial complex in a stolen pickup truck to collect what he believed was $5,000 for stolen equipment, Tukwila SWAT and K‑9 moved in to make the arrest. The sight of the K‑9 and verbal warnings prompted the suspect to immediately surrender rather than attempt to flee as he has in the past. This was a strong example of how a K‑9 can help de‑escalate a dangerous situation. Members of our Nights A patrol crew also assisted detectives with transports and execution of search warrants.
In total, SEU detectives recovered over $100,000 worth of stolen property during the operation and returned most of it to the rightful owners that same night. A firearm was also recovered that will be processed by our evidence technicians and submitted for ballistic testing. One of the residences involved is being condemned by code enforcement, and we hope the neighborhood will finally see relief from the ongoing trafficking of stolen property at these locations.
These types of incidents are exactly why the SEU team exists—allowing for long‑term problem solving through non‑traditional law enforcement strategies to help the community address persistent nuisances and crime. Our detectives worked nearly 24 hours straight to successfully execute this operation and will be filing several new felony charges against the suspect.
For now, we are not naming the suspect as he has not been formally charged.
Thank you !
And especially, thank you for sharing this with 👍🏼 us and being transparent!!
Such good work! Appreciate the extra effort, emphasis and long hour that made this operation successful!