Moses Lake man sentenced for robbery

EPHRATA — A Moses Lake man was sentenced for robbing a man at knife-point after the victim paid to have sex with a woman he was with.

Waymond Turner, 30, of Moses Lake, pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery in Grant County Superior Court. Grant County Superior Court Judge David Estudillo followed a joint recommendation between Deputy Prosecutor Edward Owens and defense attorney Stephen Kozer and sentenced Turner to about 3.5 years in prison. Turner was initially charged with first-degree robbery and third-degree theft, but the charges were amended in a plea agreement between Owens and Kozer.

Turner’s sentence stems from an incident on Sept. 29, 2015, when the Moses Lake Police Department responded to the 1300 block of West Lakeside Drive about a robbery. Police contacted a man who said he was at his residence when a man approached him without a shirt on. The victim told the reporting party he was robbed and wanted to get in contact with police, according to police records.

The victim told police a man, Turner, and a woman approached him while he was standing near the railroad tracks at the end of Milwaukee Street. He said Turner held a knife to his chest and throat and had him remove his pants and shirt, then stole his cash, two phones and wallet.

Turner and the woman were located in the 1300 block of Marina Drive and taken into custody. Police reportedly found the victim’s two phones and a folding pocket knife on Turner. In addition, they located $178 dollars in cash in his wallet. Police later confirmed that the victim estimated $170 in cash was stolen from him during the robbery.

Turner told police he arranged to meet the victim at McCosh Park and sell him some drugs. Turner and the victim exchanged money for a package, which Turner “represented” as drugs. Turner told police the package “actually wasn’t” drugs and said the victim followed him and the woman he was with. He said the victim pulled money out of his pocket, requesting to have sex with the woman Turner was with. He said the victim followed them to an area near the railroad tracks at the end of Milwaukee Street.

“Turner said there he agreed to let (the victim) have sex with (the woman.) Turner then said before it actually took place he took (the victim’s) pants and took his money,” wrote a officer.

Turner advised he never pulled a knife on the victim and said the woman he was with had nothing to do with the incident. When the victim arrived at the police station to retrieve his belongings a officer confronted him about what Turner had said. He then admitted to pursuing Turner and the woman for sex. He said he agreed to pay $50 to have sex with the woman and when they went into the bushes, Turner pulled a knife on him and took his belongings, according to police records.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.