Thurston County deputies arrested a 40-year-old man last Wednesday who is accused of violating a protection order and barricading himself in a home.
The incident occurred July 10 near the intersection of Johnson Creek Lane and State Route 507, which is southwest of Rainier.
Jesse D. Fermon "surrendered peacefully" after SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) operators and crisis negotiators responded to the scene, Sheriff Derek Sanders said in a Facebook post. Following the incident, Sanders said deputies reported finding numerous "fighting positions" staged throughout the house in preparation for a shootout.
Sanders posted a photo of body armor, knee pads and a gas mask that Fermon allegedly wore during the incident.
Deputies booked the man into the county jail on suspicion of violating a temporary protection order and first-degree burglary domestic violence, according to the jail roster.
Recently released court records describe Fermon's first day in court as well as new details about the investigation into the incident.
Fermon attended his preliminary appearance in Thurston County Superior Court on Thursday, July 11.
Judge Allyson Zipp set bail at $25,000 after finding probable cause for residential burglary, domestic violence, violating a protection order, and resisting arrest. In doing so, Zipp found the court could not otherwise be assured Fermon would return when required and that there was a substantial danger he may commit a violent crime if released without conditions.
Zipp also barred Fermon from contacting a resident who already had a temporary protection order against him.
The investigation
A probable cause statement describes the investigation into the incident from the perspective of law enforcement.
Deputies responded to the home on Johnson Creek Lane Southeast at about 2 p.m. after a resident reported Fermon was inside in violation of the protection order.
The resident told a deputy that Fermon had become paranoid in the days leading to the protection order, and he started carrying a sidearm every day.
Using a security camera, the resident reported seeing Fermon walk around the home two days prior in "full tactical gear". He was carrying a rifle, according to the statement.
Deputies tried to phone Fermon inside the home and left several messages on the answering machine to tell him he needed to leave.
The resident reportedly told deputies Fermon had built a "fort" in the living room within hearing distance of the answering machine.
Fermon exited the home about two hours later after deputies called in a SWAT team. Deputies allegedly recovered a gas mask, a police scanner radio, a tactical vest with ballistic plates and knee pads on his person, the statement says.
When told why he was being arrested, Fermon remained calm but disagreed with the reason for his arrest, the probable cause statement said.
Deputies then entered the home with a search warrant to retrieve Fermon's weapons. The statement says the home was in "complete disarray" with furniture moved, broken or tipped over in "unorthodox positions."
Most windows had been covered with curtains, cardboard or sheets, and beer bottles were found in various places in the home, the statement says.
Chairs had been stacked in front of doors and wind chimes had been zip tied over doors in what appeared to be an early detection system.
Deputies found a compound bow at the top of some stairs in a bag with arrows, according to the statement. Additionally, deputies reportedly recovered expended shotgun shells in the back yard.
Deputies located a safe in the home that reportedly contained firearms. The statement says deputies removed the entire safe from the home because it was locked with a fingerprint scanner.
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