Case Updates: August 16, 2012

Repeat Burglars Plead Guilty: State v. Nick Pogue and Chad Hinzman: Two repeat burglars have pleaded guilty to a string of property crimes on the Eastside. Chad Hinzman, 37, pleaded guilty to Residential Burglary, Burglary in the Second Degree, Trafficking in Stolen Property, and four Firearm charges, two counts each of Theft of a Firearm and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, in connection with several break ins. Hinzman faces up to 74 months in prison for these offenses.  Nick Pogue, 34, was sentenced to 60 months, the high end of the standard range, after pleading guilty to Possession of Stolen Property in the First Degree and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the Second Degree for several recent burglaries and thefts.  Chad Hinzman burglarized a business, stealing over 20 firearms, including 9 MM pistols and military issue rifles.  During a search of Pogue’s residence, stolen property linked to seven additional victims was found.  DPA Lindsey Grieve prosecuted this case. 

Jury Convicts Child Molester: State v. John B. Shelby: A jury has convicted John B. Shelby of child molestation for sexually assaulting a niece when she was between the age of six and eight.  It took the jury only 42 minutes to return a verdict, convicting the defendant on two counts of Child Molestation First Degree.  Shelby, 46, will face 67 to 89 months in prison when he is sentenced later this month.  The victim, who is now 11, was born in a state prison hospital while her mom was serving a sentence.  She was sent to live with an aunt and uncle when she was four months old.  Over the next few years she suffered a great deal of physical abuse at the hands of her aunt, who pleaded guilty to Assault of a Child Third Degree.  When CPS removed the girl from the home, she disclosed the sexual abuse.  She has been in four different placements since being re-moved.  It came out through the investigation that the uncle had sexually abused other children, which was admitted as evidence at trial.  The case was prosecuted by DPA Nicole Weston.

Unlicensed Contractor Sentenced: State v. John Mulinski: John Mulinski, 50, is a contractor who has worked in the Seattle area for many years under the business name of Home Curb Appeal, Inc.  He was charged with multiple counts of Theft First and Second Degree, as well as several counts of Unregistered Contracting.  He cheated property owners and subcontractors alike on building projects for which he acted as the general contractor, by taking money from the property owners for work done on a project, but refusing to pay the subcontractors who had actually done the work.  This forced the property owners to pay subcontractors to avoid having a lien placed against their property.  Mulinski eventually pled guilty to seven counts of Theft First Degree, and one count of Theft Second Degree.  On August 3, Judge Carol Schapira upheld a plea agreement made between the State, the Defendant, and the United States Attorney’s Office and the Federal Public Defender in Missoula, whereby the Defendant would serve a total of 70 months in custody combined in the State’s case and Mulinski’s recent sentencing for Wire Fraud in U.S. District Court in Montana.  He will also serve three years of federal supervised release following his release from custody. He was also ordered him to pay restitution in an amount to be determined to 18 different victims.  The prosecution was handled by Senior DPA John Carver and DPA Jennifer Atchison. 

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