A father and his two sons are facing felony burglary charges for allegedly breaking into a Salkum home and threatening the homeowner on Sunday.
The father, Charles Leeroy Mozingo Jr., 38, of Chehalis and one son, Kolby Ray Mozingo, 19, of Cinebar, were charged in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday. The second son has been charged in Lewis County Juvenile Court and the details on his case are not publicly available.
The group is accused of forcing their way into a house on Stowell Road in Salkum while the occupant was trying to keep the door closed, according to court documents.
Charles Mozingo Jr. allegedly caused approximately $1,000 in damage to the door by forcing it open, then entered the residence and started “pushing” and “threatening” the occupant, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in Lewis County Superior Court.
Doorbell camera footage reportedly showed the group entering the residence and showed “Charles’ arms raised, but (the deputy viewing the footage) could not tell what he was doing,” according to court documents.
The group reportedly left the residence after the occupant told them he had called law enforcement.
Deputies with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office arrested them later that day.
Charles Mozingo Jr. has since been charged with one count each of residential burglary and second-degree malicious mischief, while Kolby Mozingo has been charged with one count of residential burglary.
“I think there is a lot more here than what’s on the (probable cause affidavit) and I think it will mitigate quite a lot of the circumstances,” defense attorney Rachael Tiller said during the two elder Mozingos’ preliminary hearings in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday.
When questioned by law enforcement, court documents note, Charles Mozingo Jr. allegedly said he went to the Salkum residence because of an incident that occurred earlier that day “involving his son,” during which the alleged victim “stuck a gun in (Charles’) face.”
“There is a lot to be inferred from the affidavit of probable cause,” Judge Joely Yeager said Monday.
While the deputy prosecutor requested higher bail for both Mozingos due to community safety concerns, Yeager opted to grant Tiller’s bail requests — $10,000 secured for Charles Mozingo Jr. and $25,000 unsecured for Kolby Mozingo — due to their lack of criminal history and the fact that Charles Mozingo Jr. is the alleged primary aggressor.
Kolby Mozingo was released from the Lewis County Jail on unsecured bail Monday evening and Charles Mozingo Jr. posted bail early Tuesday morning, according to jail records.
The juvenile charged in the case has also been released from custody, according to Tiller.
Anti-harassment orders preventing the suspects from contacting the alleged victim and from going within 500 feet of the victim’s residence or workplace are in place.
Yeager granted provisions to the elder Mozingos’ release conditions Monday allowing them to maintain contact with each other so long as they do not discuss the case.
All parties will be remanded into custody if the court receives “any indication” they did discuss the case, Yeager said.
Arraignment hearings for Charles Mozingo Jr. and Leroy Mozingo are scheduled for Thursday, April 20.
