Nine-time convicted felon Joseph W. Thomas, and four-time convicted felon Yasmine R. Garrett were recently arrested by Spokane Police after the investigation of a vehicle prowling led to a downtown area motel filled with stolen firearms.
Officers say they recovered a stolen vehicle from the area of 2nd and Division, numerous stolen guns, and nearly 10,000 rounds of live ammunition out of a room in the Downtowner Motel.
On the morning of March 21st a vehicle prowling was reported inside the Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center’s parking garage.
Officers say the male and female suspects had arrived to the location in a stolen truck, broken out the window of a parked car and then fled the area after stealing a number of firearms out of the parked car.
Spokane Police were able to locate the stolen truck near the intersection of 2nd and Division.
Officers then developed information that led them to a room of the Downtowner Motel that had just been occupied by the Thomas and Garrett, where they believed the stolen firearms were now being kept.
Upon obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement found several firearms inside the room including a .40 caliber semi-auto loading pistol, two .22 caliber rifles, a .22 caliber revolver, a .22 caliber derringer, a .22 caliber semi-auto loading pistol, and approximately 10,000 rounds of live ammunition.
A search warrant was also executed on a stolen vehicle that had been recovered by the patrol officers. Inside the vehicle, officers found a .40 caliber semi-auto loading pistol was located.
All of the firearms, including the ammunition that had been recovered had been reported stolen.
Thomas and Garrett were booked into the Spokane County Jail for one count of Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle.
After further investigation, the two were charged with a variety crimes including Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Theft of a Firearm, and Vehicle Prowling. Unlawful possession of a firearm is a Washington state code that specifically prohibits people with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms.
Both are being held in the Spokane County Jail.
(story and image: KHQ.com)