Wanted teen arrested for robbery, kidnapping

GEORGE — A teenager who was reportedly involved in a December robbery and kidnapping was apprehended near George on Thursday.

After receiving tips from the public, officers took Jeremiah Michelson, 17, of Moses Lake, into custody at a residence in the 19000 block of South Frontage Road West, southwest of George. Michelson initially refused to come out of the residence and was located and subdued by K-9 deputy Grizzly. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment of wounds and later booked into the juvenile detention facility. Another teen at the residence was arrested for harboring a fugitive and obstructing law enforcement officers.

Michelson was reportedly involved in a kidnapping and robbery incident on Dec. 19. During the incident a man was reportedly robbed and had his vehicle stolen by Michelson, Cristian Bustos, 22, of Soap Lake, and David Knott Jr., 28, of Soap Lake. The three suspects have been charged in Grant County Superior Court with first-degree robbery and first-degree kidnapping.

The victim in the incident told police he picked up the three suspects in the 100 block of Adrian Avenue, in the Lakeview community. They reportedly drove toward the area of Road B Northwest and attempted to find a spot to smoke marijuana. Bustos allegedly pulled out a semi-automatic handgun, after which Michelson and Knott did the same and the victim was told to do what Bustos said.

They reportedly drove to the dead end of Road B and the victim was ordered out of his vehicle. The suspects allegedly stole the victim’s cellphone, car keys, $3 and some loose change. The victim was told to crawl under a gate at the end of the road and he knelt on the ground after he crawled. Court documents indicate at least one shot was fired, after which the suspects stole the victim’s vehicle.

“All three suspects pulled weapons and threatened (the victim). Without question, Bustos, Knott and Michelson had planned to commit such crimes. A plan had been formed as each acted in unison and knew what each other was doing,” wrote the investigating deputy. “The suspects inflicted extreme mental distress on (the victim) and he believed he more than likely would be shot and/or killed during the commission of such incident and taken to an unknown location.”

The vehicle was later recovered in the Swanson Addition area of Ephrata. Bustos and Knott were apprehended Dec. 21 by the U.S. Marshals Task Force in the 100 block of Adrian Avenue Northwest.

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