Man serving 10 years for gang shooting

EPHRATA - A man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting a gang member following an argument.

Anthony J. Aswell, 23, Moses Lake, pleaded guilty to assault in the first degree and unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree, according to Grant County Superior Court records.

Aswell has a prior conviction for possession of methamphetamine. When combined with his present convictions he faced a sentencing range of nine years and three months to 12 years and three months in prison.

Grant County Superior Court Judge Evan Sperline followed the prosecutor's recommendation, sentencing Aswell to 10 years in prison.

The victim is noted as a gang member in police reports, according to court records.

The victim told police he was driving through the Grove Terrace trailer park in Moses Lake when he and some rival gang members started arguing, according to a Grant County sheriff's report. He got out of the vehicle with a baseball bat. He was handing the bat to a passenger in the car because he planned to fight one of the gang members, when Aswell shot at him six or seven times.

The victim was hit multiple times in the upper left arm and shoulder. He got back into the car and was driven to Samaritan Hospital, according to the police report.

Two witnesses saw Aswell shooting at the victim, according to the police report. Aswell was sentenced for possession of methamphetamine to 25 days in jail and 40 hours of community service roughly one month before the shooting occurred, according to court records.