An 18-year-old Kingston man was charged with first-degree trafficking of stolen property after he allegedly sold items that were stolen from two Bainbridge Island homes during burglaries in August to get money for Hempfest.
Emmanual Narte Romero Dancel was charged with felony trafficking in Kitsap County District Court on Thursday, Feb. 18.
When questioned by police earlier about the thefts, Dancel allegedly told officers he and his friends needed money for Hempfest, a pro-pot rally that’s held annually in Seattle.
Dancel quickly drew the attention of officers after the burglaries on Bainbridge Island last summer.
Authorities said Dancel was spotted by a neighbor who lived near a home on Crystal Springs Drive that was burglarized on Aug. 21, 2013.
Several pieces of jewelry were taken during the break-in, and police later discovered that Dancel had sold a gold charm and earring that had been stolen to Premium GoldBuyers, a shop in the Silverdale Mall.
Authorities said Dancel filled out a form, showed his driver’s license and gave a copy of his thumbprint when he sold the items for $13. The jewelry was valued at $100 to $200.
Authorities also claim that Dancel had visited a home on Parkview Drive that was also burglarized on Aug. 17, 2013.
Two expensive rings were taken, and police discovered that Dancel had sold a men’s ring to the Cash America pawn store in Bremerton the day after the break-in.
Dancel was paid $160 for the stolen ring, according to court documents.
The owner of the ring said he had purchased it for $1,500, and he later identified the ring — which was described as a 14-karat gold band with diamonds — after it was purchased by the pawn shop.
Authorities also found that Dancel allegedly sold the other stolen ring — a gold band also with inlaid diamonds — to Palace Jewelry and Loan in Seattle for $165. The ring had been purchased earlier by the victim for $2,500.
Dancel allegedly told police that he had “issues with alcohol and drugs that probably affected his judgement.”
First-degree trafficking in stolen property carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence and $20,000 fine upon conviction.
