One adult, two teens sentenced to nine years in prison for severe beating of man in Chehalis

Three Lewis County residents who brutally attacked a man in Chehalis in March were each sentenced to nine years in prison Nov. 17 following their convictions of first-degree assault.

Jamal George West, 20, of Chehalis, Roberto Tomas Romero Bower, 18, of Chehalis, and Aiden Riley Smith, 16, of Centralia, will each serve three years of community custody following their release.

As part of their sentences, the defendants must undergo substance abuse evaluation and surrender any firearms.

Judge Paul Strophy issued a lifetime no-contact order on behalf of the victim.

Because of their ages at the time of the beating (all were under 20), West, Bower and Smith were placed in the custody of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), according to court documents.

West, Bower and Smith each pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree assault prior to their convictions. According to court documents, any aggravators or enhancements were dismissed as part of their plea agreements.

Micah Elijah Nobach, 19, of Centralia, also pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree assault in May, but has not yet been sentenced.

Nobach, who is now represented by Jonathan Morrison, is scheduled for a defense motion hearing on Dec. 11. Morrison filed a notice of appearance on Sept. 25.

The attorney declined to speak with The Chronicle regarding the case.

Nobach was previously represented by Rachel Hunt.

The final defendant in the case, who was 15 years old at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault as a juvenile and was sentenced to 15 to 36 weeks on Sept. 3, according to court documents.

The attack, which occurred in the 300 block of Southwest Third Street on March 1 and was captured by a surveillance camera, showed the five suspects “taking multiple roles in the attack,” including kicking and stomping on the victim’s head, strangling the victim, and dropping a large retaining wall brick over his head, according to the Lewis County Prosecutor's Office.

The victim was taken to MultiCare Capital Medical Center for “multiple lacerations, an orbital hemorrhage, broken teeth and strangulation,” the probable cause affidavit stated.

The Chronicle previously reported that Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead indicated the attack appeared to be “somewhat gang related” during a preliminary hearing on March 4.