Gun Charge

"The firearm was proven misplaced in a mid-1990s residence move and fully reconciled with authorities when returned by another party who'd mistakenly taken the firearm."

Timeline

• 5/14/1993: YCSO issues Service Weapon to Semi Bird
• 7/23/1993: Sunnyside PD retrieves loaded service weapon from Semi's repossessed car
• 8/27/1993: Semi picked up service weapon and other items from repossessed car from YCSO
• 1994: Semi Bird is terminated by YCSO as a reserve officer
• 5/1/1995: YCSO discovers the Service Weapon missing internal audit
• 10/20/1995: YCSO asked Benton County Sheriff for help locating Bird
• 10/1995: Benton County locates Bird at McCuley Chevrolet in Pasco
• 10/27/1995: YCSO sends Semi a certified letter requesting the return of YCSO's property
• 2/16/1996: Yakima County Superior Court issues arrest warrant for Semi Bird for Felony Theft of a Firearm after several attempts retrieve their property
• 8/30/1996: Semi Bird Arrested, Booked and transported to the Yakima County Jail and
• posted $2,000.00 bail released
• 9/9/1996: arraigned and assigned a Public Defender
• 10/24/1996: Yakima County Sheriff Blair personally drove to Pasco to retrieve the Service Weapon from former roommates mother
• 12/2/1996: Order of Dismissal entered at the request of officer as the weapon was returned

Facts

May 1993 Semi was issued a Smith and Weapon 357 from the Yakima County Sheriff Office. July 1993 Two months later the loaded gun was recovered by the Sunnyside Police Department from Semi's repossessed car. August 1993 Semi picked up his service weapon from YCSO. He was later terminated by YCSO as a Reserve Officer. May 1995 YCSO discovered that Semi never turned in his service weapon. October 1995 YCSO requests assistance from Benton County Sheriff Office locating Semi. After several attempts requesting Semi to return the Items issued, an arrest warrant was requested and granted on 2/16/1995. Six months later Semi was located, arrested, booked, and posted bail. 10/24/1996 the gun is located and recovered by Sheriff Blair. 12/02/1996 the charges are dropped at the request of YCSO after recovering the weapon.

Summary

After a year and a half of chasing Semi they were able to recover their property and agreed to drop the Felony Gun Theft charges after he was arrested, booked and posted bail.

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