Vancouver man pleads guilty to giving fugitive passport

A Vancouver man pleaded guilty in Clark County Superior Court on Thursday to giving his passport to a friend, a man who fled the country while being sought by police for leading a multistate retail theft crime ring.

Judge David Gregerson sentenced 32-year-old Bernt L. Worrell to 30 days in jail and 30 days on work crew for second-degree rendering criminal assistance and second-degree possession of stolen property.

On July 22, 2013, Worrell applied for an expedited passport in person at the Seattle passport office, stating that he was planning to visit Mexico, according to court documents. He got the passport that afternoon, and hours later was observed by surveillance cameras entering the Woodland Wal-Mart with fugitive Fred Engh.

Engh had been arrested on suspicion of operating the crime ring and posted bail. When he didn’t show up for a court appearance, a warrant was issued for his arrest. On July 23, with Worrell’s passport, Engh fled to Mexico.

When he was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals in Rosarito, Mexico, on Nov. 12, 2013, he was found in possession of the passport. Two days after that, Worrell was arrested.

“I messed up,” Worrell said in court, adding he met Engh while they were students at Mountain View High School.

According to court documents, Worrell provided the passport in exchange for money, methamphetamine and stolen merchandise. He knew that police were looking for Engh and that he would use the passport to flee the county.