Three men face felony charges for their alleged involvement in the overnight burglary of a Randle business last week.
Jonathan R. Harper, 46, of Centralia, and Stephen B. Hemenway, 42, of Randle, are both charged with one count each of second-degree burglary and second-degree theft.
A third man, Lee R. Kaufman, 52, of Glenoma, faces a single count of second-degree burglary.
Second-degree burglary is punishable by up to 10 years in prison in Washington state. Second-degree theft is punishable by up to five years in prison.
Kaufman made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Friday, Jan. 23, where he received a bail of $50,000 cash or bond, due to his significant warrant and criminal history, according to Judge Joely Yeager, who issued the bail.
Court documents indicate Kaufman has had 31 prior warrants issued for his arrest. He has recent convictions for possession of a stolen vehicle and second-degree theft in 2025, along with earlier convictions for money laundering and bail jumping, among other offenses.
Harper and Hemenway made their preliminary appearances on Monday, Jan. 26. Judge Paul Strophy issued Harper a bail of $5,000 cash or bond based on his minimal and dated criminal history that nonetheless includes past convictions for burglary and theft.
Harper has had three prior warrants issued for his arrest, according to court documents.
Strophy issued Hemenway a $10,000 unsecured bond granting his conditional release.
According to court documents, Hemenway has no prior felony convictions but has been convicted of such misdemeanors as hit-and-run and waste of wildlife. He has had five prior warrants issued for his arrest.
The probable cause affidavit submitted by the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office accuses the three suspects of entering the Randle business’s property at night and stealing items from multiple vehicles. Harper and Hemenway were first identified by a neighboring business owner who had reportedly reviewed surveillance footage of the incident.
The neighboring store owner indicated he’d had “numerous contacts with those individuals,” according to the affidavit.
He also provided possible locations for Kaufman, whose name he reportedly did not know.
The theft victim told the investigating sheriff’s deputy that the suspects had stolen such items as copper wire, large fuses and vehicle parts.
The deputy later contacted Kaufman and “observed a wagon that was similar to the one observed in the surveillance footage and also cut (copper) wire lying around,” according to the affidavit.
Kaufman allegedly provided the deputy with a stolen water pump.
According to the affidavit, “Kaufman said (that) he talked Hemenway and Harper into committing
the burglary with him,” and said he “thought the property had been abandoned.”
Further investigation allegedly revealed knowledge of a separate burglary committed at a different location. In this instance, the stolen items were valued at $1,500.
All three men are scheduled to appear for arraignments on Jan. 29.
