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Jury: Man stole
copper from old
Rayonier building
A Mason County Superior Court
jury deliberated about an hour
before convicting a 36-year-old
Olympia man of six felony offenses
tbr stealing metal items on three
separate dates in November from
the former ITT Rayonier building
on the Shelton waterfront.
Jerald Lee McCowan, who is
also known by the last name Long,
was tbund guilty of burglary in the
second degree and thet in the sec-
ond degree for a break-in Novem-
ber 7, second-degree burglary and
second-degree theft fbr a break-in
November 9, second-degree bur-
glary and attempted theft in the
first degree when he was arrested
November 12 inside the building
with his brother, and possession of
methamphetamine.
He is scheduled for sentenc-
ing on February 26. His brother,
Richard Thomas Long, 32, of 8413
Queets Drive NE, Olympia, is
scheduled tbr trial this month on
similar charges for the break-ins.
THE JURY WAS seated Janu-
ary 30 and heard testimony from
the first state witness, Officer
Brett Dehning of the Shelton Po-
lice Department. He said he was
on patrol on November 12 and re-
sponded to the tbrmer I'VP Rayo-
nier building around 8 a.m. after
receiving a report of a suspicious
situation at the location. "I knew
there had been some previous inci-
Accused pot
farmers face
felony cases
Two Mason County men accused
of operating separate marijuana
grows in 2005 - one in Tahuya and
the other in the Agate area - ap-
peared in Mason County Superior
Court. Both men were summoned
to court after investigations by the
West Sound Narcotics Enibrce-
ment Team, also known as West-
NET.
• Randall Kirk Morse, 47,
40 NE Timber LaD'e, Tahuya,
was identified in an investiga-
tion of manufacturing marijuana
and possession of' pot with intent
to deliver. He appeared in court
with his attorney Jeniece LaCross
and entered not-guilty pleas to the
charges.
According to a report by Detec-
tive Roy Alloway of WestNET, 05
ricers obtained a search warrant
on June 20, 2005 for Tahuya-area
residences at 131 Pine Tree Place
and 40 NE Timber Lane, both
owned by Randall Morse.
At 131 Pine Tree officers found
no evidence of occupancy but did
find seven large bags of marijuana
in the freezer. The grow operation
was tbund in a detached garage
which had two separate rooms
containing 79 plants and equip-
ment.
At 40 NE Timber Lane, where
Marilyn and Randall Morse re-
side, officers tbund 126 plants in
a detached garage; 304.9 grams
of dried marijuana, 1.5 grams of
hash, seven firearms and receipts
for wmous supplies used to build
)grow rooms plus two scales, pack-
aging materials and a harvest
schedule in the home, Alloway re-
ported.
Mr. Morse, who is retired from
the U.S. Navy, allegedly admitted
growing pot since late 2002 and
selling to about 10 customers in
quarter-pound quantities tbr $800.
Ite also reportedly said he built
both grow rooms and that his wiI
and stepson, who lives at the Pine
Tree Place property, did not know
about the pot growing operations.
* Rick Barry Fitchitt, 53, of
10 East Agate Road, Shelton, pied
not-guilty to charges of manufac-
turing marijuana and possession
ot' marijuana with intent to de-
liver. He appeared in court with
his attorney, David Arganian, who
said Fitchitt has medical authori-
zation to use marijuana.
Alloway reported that a search
warrant was served on November
16, 2005, at the Agate Road resi-
dence and officers found 79 plants
growing in a hydroponic medium,
with 49 rooted and 30 cuttings.
Officers also allegedly located 4.28
pounds of processed marijuana
divided into 26 containers tbund
throughout the residence.
Morse and Fitchitt are sched-
uled for omnibus hearings on
April 2, pretrial hearings on April
16 and trials during the jury term
beginning April 26.
dents there. I actually did a walk-
through the morning before," he
said.
"It had been secure in the past
with sheets of plywood which had
been pried open," Dehning contin-
ued. He said he was with Officer
Chris Kostad and they heard noise
coming from inside the building.
The officer testified that he and
Kostad stepped through a door and
observed two males above them us-
ing a tool known as a come-along.
"We were in an open-air area like a
courtyard or tbyer area," Dehning
said. "There was a vehicle outside
at the end of the building. Officer
Kostad gave verbal commands to
order them down. They complied,
were handcuffed and searched."
He identified McCowan as one of
the men.
Officer Kostad said he noticed
a black Jetta parked against some
shrubs and trees that concealed it
from view. "I notified dispatch I
had a suspicious vehicle at the lo-
cation. As I was doing that I heard
a sound coming from the building.
I asked for assistance for a possi-
ble burglary in progress," he said.
KOSTAD SAID he heard a
ratcheting sound coming from in-
side. "We entered the building and
came through the door to an open-
air area. I saw two males standing
on the roof. I told them, 'Police: Let
me see your hands' and told them
to climb down to the ground," he
said.
"When i went up to the roof
where I saw them, I found tools
and a come-along and some copper
wire. It was very thick," he said.
He also reported finding bolt cut-
ters on the roof.
"I had to backtrack and go up a
flight of stairs and down a hallway
and up another flight of stairs. I
also found a black jacket next to
the stairs that led out to the roof. It
contained a wallet and a burgundy
pouch with suspected narcotics."
He said the pouch contained a sy-
ringe and bags containing a white
crystal substance which field-test-
ed positive tbr methamphetamine.
Kostad said he also found a big
Tupperware box containing a va-
riety of tools and a tool bag. There
were also flashlights and headlam-
ps which he said were "necessary"
because there was no electricity
in the building and the windows
were boarded up. "It's dark inside
even in daylight," he said.
DETECTIVE HARRY Hel-
dreth said he was called into in-
vestigate on November 12 and
first went to the scene and then
to the department. He said he ad-
vised Long and McCowan of their
constitutional rights and both
agreed to talk with him. He said
he interviewed Long first and then
McCowan.
Heldreth said McCowan told
him he and his brother had gone
to the building two times prior
to November 12. McCowan told
Heldreth they were there on No-
vember 7 at about 2 o'clock in the
morning and left about 3 in the
afternoon. McCowan said they
took brass fittings and copper wire
which they had to clean by remov-
ing the coating to get more money
from "the scrapper" and that they
got about $300 for that load.
Heldreth said McCowan told
him they returned on November 9
and showed up about 2 a.m. and
removed copper wire and scrap
metal from throughout the build-
ing. McCowan said they took that
load over to Tumwater and got
about $260 on that evening.
According to police McCowan
said they returned about 6 o'clock
in the morning on November 12.
He said they were starting to
crank the come-along to get the
wire out when they were contacted
by police. Heldreth said McCowan
said they went in all three times
through a front door which had
plywood over it. McCowan also
told Heldreth they had to carry
tools inside.
HELDRETH SAID McCow-
an admitted the jacket was his
and the contents inside were his,
which Heldreth said included a
syringe with liquid contents and a
small bag which contained a white
crystal substance. "I looked at the
inside of his arms and I could see
there were fresh needle tracks.
He said he injected at 11 p.m. the
night before my contact," he said.
A Volkswagen Jetta was found
at the building. Heldreth said he
identified the registered owner,
Marvin Campbell, who is a step-
(Please turn to page 30.)
Page 28 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, February 15, 2007
GATHERING FOR THE BLESSING of
House #13 by Habitat for Humanity
of Mason County are, clockwise from
above: Dezaray Farrow, a daughter of
the Bates family and a prospective occu-
pant of house #14; Danie Tallet, left, and
her sister Mariaya with an unidentified
friend walking the plank; Bill Novak,
construction manager, and AP
on-site
Thompson of the Habitat staff with VI.
ian Bates holding her daughter, FaitP
Charlotte Bales and an unidentiti
companion leaving House #12, soon t
be the home of Terresa Morris and f
ily; and construction manager He
Biernacki.
Habitat gathering proves
to be 13th blessed event
There's a building boom in the boondocks thanks
to a thith-based organization that helps people
who don't have a lot of money construct homes of
their own.
In its 10th year of operation, Habitat for Hu-
manity of Mason County redoubled its efforts by
embarking on a schedule of building two homes
a year instead of one and efforts are now bearing
fruit in the Shorecrest area. Three homes in vari-
ous stages of development were represented at a
blessing ceremony held there this month.
Pastor Jack Keith of Hood Canal Community
Church led a gathering of several dozen people in
prayer tbr God's blessing on the 13th home. Beams
of a sunny Sunday afternoon shed light on the in-
terior of a structure with outside walls that were
standing tall and inside walls that are still on the
drawing board.
"Here we are on a journey and we're only halfway
through but we're going to make it," Keith said.
HE POINTED out that "unless the Lord builds
the house the builder labors in vain" and read
20.5 from The Book of Deuteronomy: "What man
is there that hath built a new house, and hath not
dedicated it."
The occupants of #13 will be Danya Tallett and
her three children: Mariaya, Andrew and Danie.
"A home without love? That's like a horse without
a saddle - one glove," Keith said After gatheJ::
• - "I'IIP"
the people around the family, he made a perils.
to the Lord that all in attendance would have v,
trance' and the other virtues" that make for a hapP
home.
"I just pray that you bless and pass out all tbe
qualities to the people here," Keith said.
Charlie Haney, newly appointed as
rector of Habitat for Humanity of Mason
was among the people who were on hand.
in Shelton and has been manager of the
Market of Olympia for the past 16 years•
THOSE IN attendance at the
ny were invited to write prayers and
the framework of the house. They could also
the nearly completed 12th Habitat home,
located next door to the 13th, and meet the
ple who will be living in the 12th and 14th
someday. House #14 is in the planning
supported by a donation of $63 000 from
Financial, an organization
House #12 is expected to be completed in
this year.
The fund-raising committee of Habitat
that cash donations are needed to
building of #13. There is also a need for
glasses and hard hats, as well as land to
in 2008.
Jury: Man stole
copper from old
Rayonier building
A Mason County Superior Court
jury deliberated about an hour
before convicting a 36-year-old
Olympia man of six felony offenses
tbr stealing metal items on three
separate dates in November from
the former ITT Rayonier building
on the Shelton waterfront.
Jerald Lee McCowan, who is
also known by the last name Long,
was tbund guilty of burglary in the
second degree and thet in the sec-
ond degree for a break-in Novem-
ber 7, second-degree burglary and
second-degree theft fbr a break-in
November 9, second-degree bur-
glary and attempted theft in the
first degree when he was arrested
November 12 inside the building
with his brother, and possession of
methamphetamine.
He is scheduled for sentenc-
ing on February 26. His brother,
Richard Thomas Long, 32, of 8413
Queets Drive NE, Olympia, is
scheduled tbr trial this month on
similar charges for the break-ins.
THE JURY WAS seated Janu-
ary 30 and heard testimony from
the first state witness, Officer
Brett Dehning of the Shelton Po-
lice Department. He said he was
on patrol on November 12 and re-
sponded to the tbrmer I'VP Rayo-
nier building around 8 a.m. after
receiving a report of a suspicious
situation at the location. "I knew
there had been some previous inci-
Accused pot
farmers face
felony cases
Two Mason County men accused
of operating separate marijuana
grows in 2005 - one in Tahuya and
the other in the Agate area - ap-
peared in Mason County Superior
Court. Both men were summoned
to court after investigations by the
West Sound Narcotics Enibrce-
ment Team, also known as West-
NET.
• Randall Kirk Morse, 47,
40 NE Timber LaD'e, Tahuya,
was identified in an investiga-
tion of manufacturing marijuana
and possession of' pot with intent
to deliver. He appeared in court
with his attorney Jeniece LaCross
and entered not-guilty pleas to the
charges.
According to a report by Detec-
tive Roy Alloway of WestNET, 05
ricers obtained a search warrant
on June 20, 2005 for Tahuya-area
residences at 131 Pine Tree Place
and 40 NE Timber Lane, both
owned by Randall Morse.
At 131 Pine Tree officers found
no evidence of occupancy but did
find seven large bags of marijuana
in the freezer. The grow operation
was tbund in a detached garage
which had two separate rooms
containing 79 plants and equip-
ment.
At 40 NE Timber Lane, where
Marilyn and Randall Morse re-
side, officers tbund 126 plants in
a detached garage; 304.9 grams
of dried marijuana, 1.5 grams of
hash, seven firearms and receipts
for wmous supplies used to build
)grow rooms plus two scales, pack-
aging materials and a harvest
schedule in the home, Alloway re-
ported.
Mr. Morse, who is retired from
the U.S. Navy, allegedly admitted
growing pot since late 2002 and
selling to about 10 customers in
quarter-pound quantities tbr $800.
Ite also reportedly said he built
both grow rooms and that his wiI
and stepson, who lives at the Pine
Tree Place property, did not know
about the pot growing operations.
* Rick Barry Fitchitt, 53, of
10 East Agate Road, Shelton, pied
not-guilty to charges of manufac-
turing marijuana and possession
ot' marijuana with intent to de-
liver. He appeared in court with
his attorney, David Arganian, who
said Fitchitt has medical authori-
zation to use marijuana.
Alloway reported that a search
warrant was served on November
16, 2005, at the Agate Road resi-
dence and officers found 79 plants
growing in a hydroponic medium,
with 49 rooted and 30 cuttings.
Officers also allegedly located 4.28
pounds of processed marijuana
divided into 26 containers tbund
throughout the residence.
Morse and Fitchitt are sched-
uled for omnibus hearings on
April 2, pretrial hearings on April
16 and trials during the jury term
beginning April 26.
dents there. I actually did a walk-
through the morning before," he
said.
"It had been secure in the past
with sheets of plywood which had
been pried open," Dehning contin-
ued. He said he was with Officer
Chris Kostad and they heard noise
coming from inside the building.
The officer testified that he and
Kostad stepped through a door and
observed two males above them us-
ing a tool known as a come-along.
"We were in an open-air area like a
courtyard or tbyer area," Dehning
said. "There was a vehicle outside
at the end of the building. Officer
Kostad gave verbal commands to
order them down. They complied,
were handcuffed and searched."
He identified McCowan as one of
the men.
Officer Kostad said he noticed
a black Jetta parked against some
shrubs and trees that concealed it
from view. "I notified dispatch I
had a suspicious vehicle at the lo-
cation. As I was doing that I heard
a sound coming from the building.
I asked for assistance for a possi-
ble burglary in progress," he said.
KOSTAD SAID he heard a
ratcheting sound coming from in-
side. "We entered the building and
came through the door to an open-
air area. I saw two males standing
on the roof. I told them, 'Police: Let
me see your hands' and told them
to climb down to the ground," he
said.
"When i went up to the roof
where I saw them, I found tools
and a come-along and some copper
wire. It was very thick," he said.
He also reported finding bolt cut-
ters on the roof.
"I had to backtrack and go up a
flight of stairs and down a hallway
and up another flight of stairs. I
also found a black jacket next to
the stairs that led out to the roof. It
contained a wallet and a burgundy
pouch with suspected narcotics."
He said the pouch contained a sy-
ringe and bags containing a white
crystal substance which field-test-
ed positive tbr methamphetamine.
Kostad said he also found a big
Tupperware box containing a va-
riety of tools and a tool bag. There
were also flashlights and headlam-
ps which he said were "necessary"
because there was no electricity
in the building and the windows
were boarded up. "It's dark inside
even in daylight," he said.
DETECTIVE HARRY Hel-
dreth said he was called into in-
vestigate on November 12 and
first went to the scene and then
to the department. He said he ad-
vised Long and McCowan of their
constitutional rights and both
agreed to talk with him. He said
he interviewed Long first and then
McCowan.
Heldreth said McCowan told
him he and his brother had gone
to the building two times prior
to November 12. McCowan told
Heldreth they were there on No-
vember 7 at about 2 o'clock in the
morning and left about 3 in the
afternoon. McCowan said they
took brass fittings and copper wire
which they had to clean by remov-
ing the coating to get more money
from "the scrapper" and that they
got about $300 for that load.
Heldreth said McCowan told
him they returned on November 9
and showed up about 2 a.m. and
removed copper wire and scrap
metal from throughout the build-
ing. McCowan said they took that
load over to Tumwater and got
about $260 on that evening.
According to police McCowan
said they returned about 6 o'clock
in the morning on November 12.
He said they were starting to
crank the come-along to get the
wire out when they were contacted
by police. Heldreth said McCowan
said they went in all three times
through a front door which had
plywood over it. McCowan also
told Heldreth they had to carry
tools inside.
HELDRETH SAID McCow-
an admitted the jacket was his
and the contents inside were his,
which Heldreth said included a
syringe with liquid contents and a
small bag which contained a white
crystal substance. "I looked at the
inside of his arms and I could see
there were fresh needle tracks.
He said he injected at 11 p.m. the
night before my contact," he said.
A Volkswagen Jetta was found
at the building. Heldreth said he
identified the registered owner,
Marvin Campbell, who is a step-
(Please turn to page 30.)
Page 28 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, February 15, 2007
GATHERING FOR THE BLESSING of
House #13 by Habitat for Humanity
of Mason County are, clockwise from
above: Dezaray Farrow, a daughter of
the Bates family and a prospective occu-
pant of house #14; Danie Tallet, left, and
her sister Mariaya with an unidentified
friend walking the plank; Bill Novak,
construction manager, and AP
on-site
Thompson of the Habitat staff with VI.
ian Bates holding her daughter, FaitP
Charlotte Bales and an unidentiti
companion leaving House #12, soon t
be the home of Terresa Morris and f
ily; and construction manager He
Biernacki.
Habitat gathering proves
to be 13th blessed event
There's a building boom in the boondocks thanks
to a thith-based organization that helps people
who don't have a lot of money construct homes of
their own.
In its 10th year of operation, Habitat for Hu-
manity of Mason County redoubled its efforts by
embarking on a schedule of building two homes
a year instead of one and efforts are now bearing
fruit in the Shorecrest area. Three homes in vari-
ous stages of development were represented at a
blessing ceremony held there this month.
Pastor Jack Keith of Hood Canal Community
Church led a gathering of several dozen people in
prayer tbr God's blessing on the 13th home. Beams
of a sunny Sunday afternoon shed light on the in-
terior of a structure with outside walls that were
standing tall and inside walls that are still on the
drawing board.
"Here we are on a journey and we're only halfway
through but we're going to make it," Keith said.
HE POINTED out that "unless the Lord builds
the house the builder labors in vain" and read
20.5 from The Book of Deuteronomy: "What man
is there that hath built a new house, and hath not
dedicated it."
The occupants of #13 will be Danya Tallett and
her three children: Mariaya, Andrew and Danie.
"A home without love? That's like a horse without
a saddle - one glove," Keith said After gatheJ::
• - "I'IIP"
the people around the family, he made a perils.
to the Lord that all in attendance would have v,
trance' and the other virtues" that make for a hapP
home.
"I just pray that you bless and pass out all tbe
qualities to the people here," Keith said.
Charlie Haney, newly appointed as
rector of Habitat for Humanity of Mason
was among the people who were on hand.
in Shelton and has been manager of the
Market of Olympia for the past 16 years•
THOSE IN attendance at the
ny were invited to write prayers and
the framework of the house. They could also
the nearly completed 12th Habitat home,
located next door to the 13th, and meet the
ple who will be living in the 12th and 14th
someday. House #14 is in the planning
supported by a donation of $63 000 from
Financial, an organization
House #12 is expected to be completed in
this year.
The fund-raising committee of Habitat
that cash donations are needed to
building of #13. There is also a need for
glasses and hard hats, as well as land to
in 2008.