Anthony Bittner, the teenage former House of Representatives candidate, faces yet another round of criminal allegations and was named Thursday by sheriff’s deputies as being part of a major organized crime ring.
Bittner, 18, is among three Vancouver men being investigated by detectives on suspicion of numerous auto prowls, thefts, burglaries and distribution of narcotics, said sheriff’s Sgt. Duncan Hoss.
The latest allegations are that Bittner, along with co-defendants Nathan J. Combs and Jorgan E. Cattin, stole a trailer full of camping gear from a Ridgefield Boy Scout troop on July 7.
Deputies also are searching for Samuel Poitras as a person of interest in the theft. Anyone with information should call 360-397-2211, ext. 3362.
“We open the floodgates and it keeps pouring in,” Hoss said of the alleged crime ring. “This is a major case (with) literally hundreds of victims throughout the county.”
Bittner was formally charged Thursday with six counts as part of the ongoing investigation: residential burglary; manufacture of a controlled substance (marijuana); maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance; two counts of trafficking in stolen property; and second-degree possession of stolen property.
Cattin, 24, the co-owner of the Good Pizza Company in the Salmon Creek area, was charged with leading organized crime. Combs, 18, is charged with theft and several other crimes.
Here’s how the case unfolded:
o Last week, deputies executed a search warrant of the apartment Bittner shares with Cattin and Combs in the 13700 block of Northwest Second Avenue. Inside, they found marijuana plants, pipes, fake bills and scanners and printers used to make counterfeit $100 bills, according to court records.
The search warrant followed a Sept. 14 burglary.
Hoss said deputies “quickly realized this wasn’t just one little incident.”
o Deputies arrested Bittner again this week on suspicion of stealing wakeboards to sell on the Web site Craigslist. According to court documents, Bittner and Cattin on Sept. 1 sold a stolen wakeboard they advertised on Craigslist. The victim had spotted his stolen wakeboard on the web site, arranged to meet the men in Portland, and notified police, court documents reveal.
o As part of the ongoing investigation, deputies say they also connected the men to the theft of the Boy Scouts’ trailer. On July 24, the trailer was found empty in a parking lot in downtown Vancouver, more than two weeks after the alleged theft, Hoss said. Detectives say they subsequently found the missing camping gear in the men’s apartment.
Bittner, whom Hoss described as a “willing participant” in the crime ring, is out of jail on supervised release and is supposed to be living with his parents.
A 2010 Skyview High School graduate, he launched his campaign in March for Jaime Herrera’s open 18th District House seat.
In August’s primary election, he finished last in a seven-way primary race, attracting 575 votes.
Describing himself as a Republican with independent ideas and conservative values, he campaigned sporadically and raised $4,571.
His next court appearance is Sept. 29.
Laura McVicker: 360-735-4516 or laura.mcvicker@columbian.com.
