The third suspect in the June burglary of Coastal Farm and Ranch agreed to a tentative plea deal on Dec. 14 in Clallam County Superior Court.
Micah Aaron Parker, 33, pleaded guilty to six charges related to the store break-in and theft of 13 shotguns and various merchandise from the Sequim store. His deal includes a recommended minimum sentence of 18.3 years, or 220 months, but court documents state Parker’s attorney Will Payne could request a 15-year minimum and it wouldn’t breach a contract with the Clallam County Prosecutor’s Office.
Judge Simon Barnhart signed off on the agreement and scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, to accommodate Parker’s mother’s travel arrangements for the court date.
Barnhart said on Dec. 14 he holds the right to impose a sentence above or below the agreed upon amount, and he would be considering the case much further in the coming weeks. A maximum sentence with previous conviction enhancements is 20.3 years (244 months).
Parker’s amended charges include burglary in the first degree with a firearm enhancement, theft in the first degree, two counts of theft of a firearm with firearm enhancements, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.
In his statement, according to court documents, he said, “on about the 24th day of June 2022 in Clallam County with intent to commit a crime against property, I broke into the Coastal Farm and Ranch Store and while in the building or in immediate flight there from, was armed with a deadly weapon.
“And furthermore, I removed two firearms from the store, and finally having previously been convicted of a serious offense and unable to possess firearms, did therefore, possess the firearms I took from Coastal.”
Deputy prosecuting attorney Matthew Roberson said on Dec. 14 that a case against Parker in Thurston County will be dismissed with this new agreement made in Clallam County.
At a Dec. 9 hearing, Payne told Barnhart in court that Parker did not want to accept a deal and wanted to go to trial. By doing so, however, the agreement would be off the table then, he said.
Robertson said he had extended the offer several times and was tired of the state’s time being wasted. Parker later in the hearing said he wanted to accept the deal.
Once sentenced, he’ll be the third and final suspect jailed in connection to the burglary along with Marcus Lavon Hale, 42, who agreed to an offer of 10 years (120 months) in prison on Nov. 7, and Christopher Paul Robbins, 53, who accepted six years (72 months) in prison on Nov. 9.
Sequim Police reported three suspects were seen on surveillance video around 5:30 a.m. June 24 with Robbins, later revealed, breaking through the store’s front windows and letting Hale and Parker in through an emergency door.
According to court documents, they stole 13 shotguns worth about $9,050, along with other items worth about $14,040.
Parker was arrested on June 29 at Western Inn in Tacoma in possession of one stolen shotgun, power tools and clothes from the store, according to Sequim Police. His original charges included burglary in the first degree, theft in the first degree and 13 counts of theft of a firearm.
