A 30-year-old Mossyrock man faces felony charges after he allegedly admitted to stealing gasoline from White Pass Junior Senior High School in Randle.
Steven Ray Largent was charged with eight counts of second-degree burglary, each carrying maximum punishments of 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines.
Largent made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Wednesday.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed by the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the alleged thefts on or about Oct. 24 after a school maintenance supervisor reported the incidents.
The supervisor reportedly told the responding deputy that the same man had stolen fuel from the bus garage on six separate occasions by jumping over the fence.
The supervisor then presented security footage, which allegedly “showed the male jumping the fence and then lowering full gas cans onto the ground on the other side of the fence before returning to a vehicle,” according to the affidavit.
The supervisor said the man had stolen about 20 total cans worth of gas during thefts on Oct. 7, 9, 17, 21, 23 and 24.
Going over the footage, the deputy noted the suspect had driven two different vehicles during the alleged thefts: a blue Ford F-150 and a red sedan.
On Oct. 29, District Superintendent Greggery Teel reportedly informed the deputy of additional thefts that occurred on Oct. 26 and 29.
Another deputy reviewed footage on Nov. 3, and “noted the red sedan, possibly a Buick or Oldsmobile, had only one hubcap and a trunk lid that did not close completely,” according to the affidavit.
While the deputy reviewed the footage, the school’s technology director reportedly told the deputy she had seen the sedan parked in the 1100 block of Silverbrook Road.
The deputy checked the area, but did not find the sedan.
The next day, the deputy reportedly saw the sedan “parked under a carport next to a trailer on Silverbrook Road,” according to the affidavit.
The deputy talked to two women nearby, who allegedly told the deputy that Steven Largent lived in the trailer, “but that he was at the hospital with a newborn child.”
The deputy obtained Largent’s Department of Licensing photograph and determined it matched the suspect in the footage. On Nov. 10, he got Larson’s phone number and called it.
Largent answered. When the deputy asked Largent if he knew why the deputy was calling, Largent allegedly said “he believed it had to do with the high school in Randle.”
Largent then allegedly admitted to stealing the gas for his vehicles.
“Mr. Largent stated he was not in Lewis County due to a medical emergency, but he agreed to contact Deputy Anderson when he was back in the area,” the affidavit stated.
On Nov. 11, the deputy reportedly located Largent inside his truck at a convenience store off U.S. Highway 12. Largent allegedly admitted to speaking with the deputy the night before and stealing the gas from the school.
During the preliminary hearing, Senior Deputy Prosecutor Scott Jackson requested $50,000 in bail, noting the alleged theft from a school district and Largent’s criminal history.
Jackson added that Largent failed to appear for court dates in prior cases and has had two fugitive warrants brought through Lewis County.
According to the affidavit, Largent has felony convictions for first-degree malicious mischief, second-degree possession of stolen property and first-degree criminal impersonation.
Largent also has 15 prior arrest warrants, according to the affidavit.
Defense attorney Rachael Tiller asked for consideration of unsecured bail, saying Largent did not have the means to post, but did work construction jobs when available and resided in Lewis County.
Judge Joely Yeager noted the fugitive concerns and Largent’s similar convictions, but settled at $25,000 cash or bond given his lack of income.
Largent, represented by Don Blair, pleaded not guilty during an arraignment on Thursday.
