Suspect in Gun Store Burglaries in Two Different Counties Charged in Federal Court

          A 38-year-old man was charged today in U.S. District Court in Seattle with two counts of theft from a federal firearms licensee in connection with gun store burglaries in Clallam and Skagit Counties, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  JOEY A. MAILLET will make his initial appearance on the complaint at 2:00 today.  MAILLET has been held on local burglary charges since May 10, 2019, when he was arrested by Ferndale Police.  MAILLET was transferred to federal custody from Clallam County.

            According to records filed in the case, forensic evidence and surveillance video link MAILLET to the April 13, 2019, burglary of Fred’s Guns in Sequim, Washington.  In that case, the suspect used a backhoe to ram the doors of the store and then broke glass display cases to steal 26 firearms.  While the Sequim burglary was still under investigation, there was a second gun store burglary on May 3, 2019, at All American Armory in Bow, Washington.  In that case, surveillance showed the suspect used a stolen pick-up truck to back into the doors of the store, shattering them.  The suspect then used a garbage can to load up 13 rifles from the store and drove away with them in the stolen pick-up. 

            The pick-up truck was ultimately found abandoned in Birch Bay State Park in Whatcom County, Washington.  Shattered glass was in the truck bed, as well as a stolen boat motor and battery.  The truck was reported stolen from an agricultural operation not far from the Bow gun store, and the boat motor and battery were reported stolen by a resident of Ferndale, Washington.

            On May 10, 2019, a Ferndale Police Officer encountered MAILLET and arrested him on an outstanding warrant for an Everett, Washington, burglary.  After obtaining a court-authorized search warrant, investigators determined items in MAILLET’s backpack linked him to the thefts at the Bow gun store.

            MAILLET was held on state charges in Clallam County in connection with the Fred’s Guns burglary.  Those charges were dismissed earlier this week in favor of federal prosecution.

            Only one of the stolen firearms has been recovered.

            The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

            Theft from a federal firearms licensee is punishable by up to ten years in prison.

            The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Sequim Police Department, Washington State Patrol, Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, Ferndale Police Department, and Washington State Parks Rangers.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin H. Becker with assistance from Clallam County Deputy Prosecutor Jesse Espinoza.