Bail Set at $25,000 for Centralia Man Who Attempted to Break Into Residence With a Firearm

Aaron E. Elliott, 39, of Centralia, was arrested at 7:20 a.m. on Jan. 28 and booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree attempted burglary, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and and unlawful possession of an illicit substance, heroin, after attempting to gain entry into a residence in the 300 block of Noel Avenue while in possession of a firearm. 

The homeowner reported that she had been asleep when she heard someone trying to open her front door. 

She got up, saw someone rattling the door handle and called the police to report that a man with tattoos on his face and hands was trespassing on her front porch. 

Responding officers found Elliot and noted that he tossed a camouflage bag into a nearby pile of leaves when he saw officers approaching. Elliot had a backpack and was holding a pink Taser, which he dropped at the officers’ command, according to Lewis County Superior Court documents. 

Inside the camo bag was a .44 caliber black powder revolver, which Elliot claimed was an “antique given to him by a friend,” according to court documents. 

Officers also found five stolen checks issued to five different people from Ramos Reforestation Inc., a company based out of Kelso. When asked why he was at the Noel Avenue property, Elliot allegedly said he was looking for “George,” who he claimed was the homeowner, because he needed a ride home. No one in the current owners’ household or the previous owners’ household was named “George,” according to court documents. 

At the time of the incident, Elliot was set to begin a contract with the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET) as a confidential informant, but according to court documents, the state considers Elliot to be in violation of his contract, as “his lying to officers about the mythical ‘George’ make it impossible for him to ever be a witness for the state.” 

Elliot has a record of nine prior felony convictions in Lewis County — seven of which occurred in the last three years, according to Lewis County Superior Court. Due to this history, Judge J. Andrew Toynbee set bail at $25,000 at Elliot’s preliminary appearance on Jan. 29. He is scheduled for arraignment and trial setting on Feb. 11.