A trained welder who tried to use a blowtorch to break into a Tumwater credit union was sentenced to prison on June 24, 2024. Randall Taufete’e, 34, from Olympia, pleaded guilty to arson and attempted larceny of a federally insured credit union in March 2024.
According to court documents, on October 24, 2022, Tumwater firefighters responded to a fire alarm at O Bee Credit Union. When they arrived, they saw flames coming from the top of an ATM machine. After the fire was extinguished and authorities investigated, they found char and pry marks on the ATM machine, night deposit box, drive-through window, and exterior door.
Surveillance video from that night showed two men using a pry bar, an electric saw, and a blowtorch to try and open the ATM and gain access to the building. According to the Department of Justice, the damage caused totaled $198,018.A few days after the incident Taufete’e was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Authorities said they identified him as one of the men in the surveillance video.
Brandon Ronald Collado, 36, from Olympia, is a codefendant in the case. He was indicted in January 2023 and pleaded guilty in June 2023.According to court documents, prosecutors asked for a 92-month sentence for Taufete’e and said he had more than a dozen criminal convictions as an adult. He will be on three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Loans Loans Latest News, Loans Loans Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: Mynorthwest - 🏆 438. / 53 Read more »