Two men were indicted on federal charges for their alleged role in a string of violent robberies targeting Asian families across three Washington counties, including two July 2022 incidents in Kent.
Kevin Thissel, 28, and Christopher Johnson, 23, were indicted under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), according to an Aug. 15 U.S. Department of Justice press release. Both men are in state custody on other charges, but have or will be transferred to federal custody.
“The indictment alleges that in the summer of 2022, these men targeted certain families for robberies,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “To create a climate of fear, these men burst into their homes in the middle of the night, dressed in black, claiming to be police, and with guns drawn. The primary motive for this robbery crew was money – stealing any valuables they could ransack from these homes. Tragically, they shot and killed one young mother (in Everett) as her 7-year-old child lay next to her in bed. This indictment seeks to hold them accountable for the terror they visited on our community.”
The indictment details that the robbery crew often targeted Asian families and committed the robberies between 2 and 5 a.m. in King, Snohomish and Skagit counties. The conspirators reportedly would kick in doors or windows and disable any security cameras.
“The indictments of the two violent repeat offenders for RICO is a significant step towards bringing justice to the families that were victimized by this criminal group in Kent and across our region,” said Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla. “I am incredibly grateful for the immense work done by our detectives to identify and establish criminal charges for the portion of the crime spree that impacted Kent residents. I also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for stepping in and seeking indictments at the federal level. Our communities benefit from the strong partnerships and collaboration amongst the local and federal public safety entities in Washington state.”
The alleged robbery crew dressed in black and wore masks, according to the indictment. They would often yell “Police” when entering the homes to confuse the victims into thinking it was a law enforcement raid. The robbers would restrain all the victims, even children as young as 9 years old, with zip ties. On one occasion, the robbers kidnapped a woman and forced her, at gunpoint, to go to bank ATMs in the middle of the night in an effort to withdraw funds from her bank account.
Each member of the robbery crew allegedly had a certain job: surveilling the target homes; serving as a driver; kicking in the door; corralling the family; holding the victims at gunpoint; and ransacking the homes for valuables. Some of those participating in this violent robbery scheme were juveniles.
“These traumatic robberies and assaults occurred in the victims’ own homes where their families should have been safe,” said Richard A. Collodi, special agent in charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “During these crimes, children were restrained and were present during the violence, including the death of one child’s mother.”
Count one of the indictment lists seven distinct racketeering acts in 2022:
• May 24: Armed robbery of a family in Mount Vernon.
• May 24: Kidnapping of a young boy in connection with the Mount Vernon robbery.
• July 14: Armed robbery of a couple in Burien.
• July 28: Armed robbery of a woman in Kent.
• July 28: Abduction of the victim in the Kent robbery to force her to obtain cash from ATMs.
• Aug. 19: Everett armed robbery of a couple and their child.
• Aug. 19: Murder of one of the Everett robbery victims.
RICO and RICO conspiracy are punishable by up to life in prison.
Johnson was in custody in Snohomish County serving a more than 90-month prison sentence for domestic violence convictions. He was transferred to federal custody Thursday, Aug. 15 and appeared on the indictment Aug. 15 at the U.S. District Court in Seattle.
Thissel has a pending federal charge for unlawful possession of a firearm. Thissel is prohibited from possessing firearms due to several prior convictions, including three counts of second-degree assault involving a firearm. He is pending trial in Pierce County for first-degree assault for another shooting. Thissel is currently in custody in Pierce County.
The case is being investigated by the FBI with significant assistance from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, the Mount Vernon Police Department, the Kent Police Department and the King County Sheriff’s Office.
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