Edgar O. Gonzalez Barragan, 32, the suspect accused of stealing the Jaws of Life equipment from the Riverside Fire Authority, was charged with first-degree theft during a preliminary hearing with the Lewis County Superior Court on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
Gonzalez Barragan allegedly stole the equipment Saturday afternoon, Aug. 9, while members of the fire department tended to medical-related business at George Washington Park in downtown Centralia. The living-saving machine allows first responders to extricate individuals trapped inside a vehicle or compacted structure. The stolen equipment was valued at $12,000.
Gonzalez Barragan was arrested in Kent Monday night. According to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, the arrest resulted from investigation by the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, Homeland Security, the FBI, Kent police, Squaxin Island police and the sheriff’s office.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Centralia Police Department announced the Jaws of Life had been recovered from the suspect’s vehicle after a search warrant was served.
Gonzalez Barragan now faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a $20,000 fine for the lone felony charge, though there may be others coming. According to court documents pertaining to the case, Gonzalez Barragan is also a suspect in three armed casino robberies committed this month. One of those robberies occurred at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, just hours before Gonzalez Barragan allegedly stole the Jaws of Life from the Riverside Fire Authority.
Gonzalez Barragan is also the suspect in an attempted bank robbery committed in King County Aug. 11, according to court documents from Lewis County prosecutors.
The Chronicle previously reported that Gonzalez Barragan and his vehicle had been captured on surveillance cameras during Saturday’s theft in Centralia. Court documents indicate that a witness had seen the suspect walking by a nearby library carrying the Jaws of Life, before placing the equipment in the trunk of his parked vehicle and driving away. Centralia Police Department officers confirmed the witness’s statement by reviewing video footage from the library and corroborating with the witness.
Using the Flock camera system, officers were then able to obtain license plate information of the suspect’s vehicle. They soon learned that the plate was, in fact, stolen from another vehicle.
Additional investigation using the Flock system led officers to earlier footage of the same vehicle located in Centralia — this time with a different plate number. The registered owner of that license plate was later connected to Gonzalez Barragan.
On Aug. 11, officers received another Flock notification alerting them that the suspect’s vehicle was located in Kent. Around 8 p.m., officers from the Kent Police Department located Gonzalez Barragan and detained him. The suspect was found with makeup covering his body, ostensibly to cover up his tattoos.
Gonzalez Barragan has three prior criminal convictions, including two separate felonies for harassment, domestic violence, and one for assault with a deadly weapon. Additionally, he has had five warrants issued for his arrest during the pendency of criminal cases, which include charges for unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm, both from Pierce County.
During the preliminary hearing, Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead said that Gonzalez Barragan has also been charged with reentry of a removed alien, a criminal violation under U.S. law that, at least in this case, constitutes a no-bail warrant.
Pending the filing of that additional complaint from the Western District of Washington, Halstead argued for bail to be set at $500,000 cash or bond with standard conditions.
After acknowledging any bail would be difficult with a no-bail hold, Defense Attorney Rachael Tiller argued for no more than $50,000, saying that Gonzalez Barragan reported he would be beginning employment again and has stable residential information.
Judge Andrew Toynbee agreed with the state’s request of $500,000, citing a likelihood that, without a substantial figure, Gonzalez Barragan would fail to appear. Toynbee added that the conditions of release can be further discussed once more information from the case is provided.
Gonzalez Barragan will return to court at 2:30 p.m., Aug. 21, for attorney review.
