Crime
For information regarding local and national criminal news, see our latest news stories below.
3 arrested in Royal City area thefts case
ROYAL CITY — Three men were arrested and booked into the Grant County Jail on suspicion of possessing stolen prope…
Othello man faces animal cruelty charges
OTHELLO — Dogs were confiscated from an Othello man Feb. 18 after a report that the animals were neglected. Ulises Neponoceno Pineda was cited for second-degree animal cruelty, a gross misdemeanor, according to…
One booked, another unidentified in rural business burglary
MOSES LAKE – A 24-year-old Moses Lake man was apprehended by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office Crime Reduction Team and other law enforcement Friday during a b…
SLPD Chief fired for alleged misconduct
SOAP LAKE — Soap Lake Police Chief Ryan Cox has been terminated, according to a statement from the city. However, Cox also held the role as the city administra…
CBIT continues jail death investigation
EPHRATA – The Central Basin Investigative Team determined that Richard Lambert’s death at the Grant County Jail was due to sepsis caused by an accident prior t…
Ephrata police logs for Feb. 10-12, 2025
The reports below were provided by the Ephrata Police Department. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Reports from othe…
Moses Lake man pleads guilty to possession of child pornography
OTHELLO — A Moses Lake man will be sentenced April 8 after pleading guilty to three counts of possessing sexually explicit images of children Tuesday. Dust…
FLASHBACK: K-9 Convo
K9 Officers from around Grant County speak with children, families and staff at the Ephrata Public Library regarding where the dogs come from, how they're trai…
Quincy man faces controlled substance homicide charge
QUINCY – On Thursday, Abraham Cristobal Flores Velazquez, 32, of Quincy was arrested for controlled substance homicide in relation to a Yakima overdose death. …
iNET works at identifying, mitigating narcotics in the Basin
EPHRATA – If you live in the Columbia Basin, you've seen coverage from the Columbia Basin Herald and other outlets regarding the prevalence of drugs such as fe…
SLPD chief now 13 weeks on paid admin leave, investigation ongoing
SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake Police Chief Ryan Cox was placed on paid administrative leave on Nov. 15, 2024, making it 13 weeks, today. Robert Geates has been the…
Two teens steal 'copious amount' of marijuana
SOAP LAKE — A cannabis shop was hit by a burglary early Friday morning, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. At around 1:30 a.m…
New law adds ID to Department of Corrections reentry plans
OLYMPIA — A new law will require the Department of Corrections to help state inmates to get some form of state identification before they are released. The law…
Fake kids, real charges: Lawmakers push additional oversight for net nanny stings
(The Center Square) – The Washington State Patrol has leveraged “net nanny” operations since 2015 to arrest hundreds of alleged child predators, but state lawm…
CBIT continues investigation on Grant Co. Jail death
EPHRATA – The Ephrata Police Department Captain Troy Froewiss released a statement regarding Central Basin Investigations Team regarding the death of Richard L…
Three Quincy residents booked for fuel theft, possessing stolen goods
QUINCY – On Thursday morning, three Quincy residents were arrested after their vehicle ran out of fuel with a bed full of suspected stolen property, according …