Other LanguagesASOTIN — The Attorney General’s Office announced today that it filed felony charges against Trevor Lunney, of Clarkston, in Asotin County Superior Court for intimidation of a judge and four counts of harassment against local officials.
If convicted, Lunney faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $20,000 fine for the charge of intimidation of a judge. He faces five years in prison and a $10,000 fine for each of the felony harassment counts.
According to charging documents, Lunney was detained in the Asotin County jail following allegations he had made threats to shoot up an elementary school and a county fair parade. He ultimately pleaded guilty to making a bomb threat and two counts of harassment.
The declaration of probable cause asserts that while in jail, Lunney communicated to another inmate threats to harm multiple people and those threats intensified after his guilty plea. Lunney told the inmate over the course of more than two months in 2023 about detailed plans he had to kill the judge who presided over his case, the judge’s dog, the county prosecutor who handled his case, a city councilor and a jail guard.
According to the inmate who reported the threats, Lunney’s plans included following some of his targets to their homes to find out where they lived, as well as a “unique courthouse invasion.” He planned to have other individuals lace the food of some of the targets with fentanyl or spray fentanyl on the targets.
Assistant Attorney General James Atchley is handling the case for the Attorney General’s Office.
Below, the declaration of probable cause filed with the court is included in its entirety.
The information contained in the declaration of probable cause are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Attorney General’s Criminal Justice Division is prosecuting the case. Under state law and the Washington State Constitution, the Attorney General’s Office does not have authority to initiate criminal investigations, unless it receives and accepts a referral from a county prosecutor or the governor. The Attorney General’s Office accepted a referral from the Asotin County Prosecuting Attorney in this case. Due to Lunney’s targeting of an Asotin county judge and other county officials, a judge in Adams County will preside over the case.
The Rules of Professional Conduct govern what a prosecutor in a criminal case may say publicly before trial. As the prosecutor in this criminal matter, the Attorney General’s Office and its representatives are prohibited from making public statements beyond the narrow scope allowed by the Rules of Professional Conduct. The office will make every effort to be transparent with the public, while upholding its responsibilities as a criminal prosecutor.
DECLARATION OF PROBABLE CAUSE
Asotin County Sheriffs Office Detective Jackie Nichols declares as follows:
I am a detective with the Asotin County Sheriffs Office and have conducted an investigation into allegations that Trevor Lunney allegedly made threats to multiple people. My investigation included interviews and a review of documents including letters and court documents. A summary of my investigation follows.
On June 8, 2023, Asotin County Superior Court Judge Brooke Burns sentenced Trevor Lunney (hereafter Defendant) after he plead guilty to one count of Threat to Bomb and two counts of Felony Harassment under Asotin County Cause Number 22-1-00097-02. Curt Liedke, a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney at that time, represented the State in the aforementioned sentencing.
Inmate Tim Redmond and Defendant were in the Asotin County Jail together from March 6, 2023 to June 14, 2023. Redmond wrote a letter dated June 26 to Judge Burns relaying threats made by the Defendant. Redmond wrote that following a sentencing by Judge Burns, the Defendant told him that he planned "a unique courthouse invasion to commit some of these murders and to follow some people in their vehicles to establish their residence locations." In the letter, Redmond listed seven of the fourteen names: (1) Judge Brooke Burns; (2) Asotin Prosecutor Curtis Liedkie; (3) City Councilor Hannah Liedkie; ( 4) Corrections Officer Duane Thompson; (5) Former Corrections Officer Hannah Fowler; (6) Defense Attorney Roger Sandberg; and (7) Jail Captain Nathan Ulhorn.
In a letter dated 7-11-23 and addressed to Lisa Webber, Office Manager for the Asotin County Prosecutor's Office, Redmond further detailed Defendant's plan. According to Redmond, Defendant told him he planned to solicit fentanyl addicted females to do part of his di1iy work. Defendant intended to acquire fentanyl powder and put it on "pizza or another food to be delivered or mailed to houses or offices" of the named individuals. Defendant would also put fentanyl in "salt shakers, have people break in to put them in liquids/seasonings" or even have the women blow fentanyl powder in these people's faces with straws.
Redmond stated Defendant spent many nights on the bunk next to him over 2 ½ months discussing his plans. Following a court hearing, Defendant returned to the jail and intensified his plans of "sinister attacks of fentanyl powder" on government offices.
On June 29, 2023, I (Detective Nichols) obtained a copy of the letter Redmond sent to Judge Burns. During an interview with Redmond, he confirmed many of the details of his letters to Judge Burns and Ms. Webber. Redmond told me that Defendant originally had 15 people on his list of people he wanted to kill. Redmond said my late husband, Ben Nichols, had been on Defendant's list and that Defendant joked after my husband died (umelated motorcycle accident), that his list was down to "14." Defendant told Redmond that he planned to put fentanyl powder on "top of donuts and then have the donuts delivered to the prosecutor's office." Defendant also mentioned he wanted to kill "Motley," Judge Burns' dog.
Redmond allowed me to take two letters he received from the Defendant. In a letter dated 7-10-23, Defendant wrote, "Dear Tim, I got 3 letters from you Friday night. I wrote 3 letters back but they all talked about the "14" so I can't send them." "I stopped taking my antipsychotic, so now the radio sends me secret messages and I' 11 be loose on society in 48 days, can't ... fucking ... wait! Great work Liedkie!" "I mean YOU read my sentencing statement and I got max sentence. Burns is a monster and Liedkie will shit ALL over sentencing alternatives, so don't be shocked if you get prison."
Following my interview with Redmond, I gathered victim statements from persons threatened by the Defendant:
Curtis Liedkie, Interim Asotin County Prosecutor, stated he "was very concerned about Trevor's threats against him, his family and co-workers." Defendant's "escalation in intensity and scope lead me to believe he is capable and more than willing to carry out his threats." Mr. Liedkie believes the "threats are specific and reveal a tremendous level of planning and cogitation" and stated that he is "deeply concerned that, upon his release, he will seek a way to harm me and my family, if not kill me." Mr. Liedkie stated that since he learned of the Defendant's threats he has become more alert. He noted that around Christmas, a gift of food was delivered to his office but that his staff did not recognize who dropped it off. Due to the threats, he felt compelled to review video surveillance of the courthouse to determine if the food was safe to eat; highlighting the elevated alert level of his office.
Brooke Burns, Asotin County Superior Court Judge, stated she took Defendant's "threats seriously." Judge Burns also stated that, when Redmond brought to her attention "that Mr. Lunney had threatened to kill me and my dog, Motley, after I sentenced him last year. I did find it quite alarming and took the precaution of finding a photo of Mr. Lunney, printing it and putting it on my fridge at home so my husband would know that Mr. Lunney looked like in case Mr. Lunney ever showed up to our home."
Hannah Liedkie, Lewiston City Councilor, stated that she takes the threats seriously. Ms. Liedkie is "very concerned about the safety of her staff and clients." She warned her staff about suspicious packages and food being delivered.
Duane Thompson, Asotin County Corrections Deputy, stated he "absolutely took it seriously" when Defendant threatened his life.
Based upon the foregoing, I believe there is probable cause that Trevor Lunney committed one count of Intimidating a Judge in violation of RCW 9A.72.160 and four counts of Felony Harassment committed against Judge Brooke Burns, Interim Asotin County Prosecuting Attorney Curt Liedke, Asotin County Corrections Deputy Duane Thompson and City Councilor Hannah Liedkie in violation ofRCW 9A.46.020(2)(b).
I declare under the penalty of pe1jury under the laws of the State of Washington that the foregoing information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
DATED this 2nd day of May, 2024.
For the full document, click here: https://agportal-s3bucket.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Signed%20Declaration%20of%20Probable%20Cause.pdf?VersionId=x4Bknm00KN_2OyyMlAv8Kdl1ePYLxfQl
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