A 17-year-old Green Hill School inmate has been charged as an adult in Lewis County Superior Court and is accused of a violent assault on a female staff member on June 13. He is accused of stealing her keys, striking her repeatedly and causing her substantial bodily harm before attacking another staff member and an inmate who intervened.
He is also accused of attacking and throwing a full bottle of urine at other staff members who moved him to another location within the facility later that same day.
Green Hill School, a juvenile detention facility located in Chehalis, reported the incidents to the Chehalis Police Department at 10:45 a.m. on June 14, according to Chehalis Police Department call logs.
The alleged attack
Dezmen Michael Belgarde was charged July 10 with six counts of custodial assault, one count of first-degree attempted robbery, one count of second-degree assault and one count of intimidating a public servant. An additional count of custodial assault was added to his charges on July 12.
Belgarde is accused of grabbing the female staff member's butt on or about June 13 and threatening her the next day to not write him up for the misconduct, according to court documents. He allegedly “indicated he would do it again and she ‘would see it could be good.’”
Later that day, Belgarde reportedly refused to go to his room as ordered and instead approached the same female staff member he allegedly assaulted the day prior. Belgarde then allegedly “grabbed her keys and began to repeatedly strike (her),” according to court documents.
Another inmate reportedly intervened and tried to stop the assault before another staff member stepped in to protect the female staff member, who was on the floor, and help her exit the wing.
While she was being helped, Belgarde allegedly “broke loose and, again, began attacking the (female) staff member and, in the process, struck the second staff member as well,” according to court documents.
Other Green Hill staff then reportedly handcuffed Belgarde and transferred him to another area of the facility.
While staff were working to uncuff him, Belgarde allegedly “began to fight (and) threaten staff, and attempted to steal the handcuffs and key,” according to court documents. Several staff members reported they were “grabbed/scratched” during the assault.
As staff “continued to address (Belgarde’s) behavioral issues,” Belgarde allegedly “took his water bottle full of urine and threw the contents,” which struck two staff members.
He was then handcuffed again, but not before he allegedly kicked another staff member, according to court documents.
Belgarde was still in custody at Green Hill School as of Tuesday, July 16, when he had his preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court.
Because his release date from Green Hill School is still several years away, all parties agreed to allow him to remain in custody at Green Hill for the duration of the case.
Arraignment was scheduled for Thursday, July 18.
Green Hill School issues
This month, Washington state Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) transferred 43 adult offenders out of Green Hill School and paused new entries into Green Hill and Echo Glen Children’s Center in Snoqualmie amid rising safety concerns and fears of overpopulation.
Following the transfers, Green Hill currently houses around 200 residents, above the 180 considered “best practice” for the facility.
“We hope this will help. I don't think it's a secret. It has been a really challenging environment for the young people, for the staff,” Allison Krutsinger, director of public affairs for DCYF, said in an interview with Chronicle reporters last week. “We do hope this will help provide some immediate sort of relief and help the environmental realities, staffing realities, in bringing more programming back online, etc. I would be hard-pressed to make guarantees or speak in absolutes, but we believe this was a necessary step to achieve that safe, therapeutic, rehabilitative environment.”
Overcrowding at Green Hill School has been cited among the reasons for a rise in crime at the facility, which have included drug possession, assault and other felony charges.
The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team served a warrant at the facility in 2023 and seized evidence that was being stored in lockers. State Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, called for a full investigation of the facility but was rebuffed by Gov. Jay Inslee, who insisted many positive improvements were being pursued.
