One of three men accused of luring a man to a Vancouver home before assaulting and robbing him in December was sentenced Wednesday to more than eight years in prison.
Scott William Thomas, a 25-year-old transient, appeared in Clark County Superior Court on charges stemming from two different cases. He has been in custody since early February for an incident in which he stole a vehicle and led police on a high-speed hit-and-run chase in Battle Ground on Feb. 2.
He also faced charges of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree robbery, second-degree theft and second-degree assault related to the Dec. 26 incident.
Raymond J. Femling, 31, and Jason E. Stinson, 31, are also accused in that case and face similar charges.
The men are all suspected of helping lure the victim, James Braithwaite, to 2108 N.E. 40th Circle, a residence in the city’s Image neighborhood, because they assumed he was “a snitch,” according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court.
Stinson invited Braithwaite to his residence, and when he arrived, Femling and Thomas punched and kicked him multiple times. Femling then burned Braithwaite’s arm with a methamphetamine pipe, causing second-degree burns. Stinson retrieved a pillowcase and rope, and the men threatened to kill him, court records said.
Femling told Braithwaite that he would kill him if he “talked to anybody.” Stinson then followed Braithwaite “to ensure he drove home and to keep him in fear,” according to court documents.
In April, Thomas was also involved in an inmate fight during a trial readiness hearing in Superior Court. He attacked Stinson in a holding area, but there didn’t appear to be any serious injuries.
During his hearing Wednesday, Thomas apologized for the incident, and his attorney Jeff Barrar confirmed that no charges would be filed.
In an agreement with the prosecution, Thomas pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle and attempt to elude in the one case. He also pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and second-degree kidnapping in the other case.
The prosecution requested Thomas serve a total sentence of 116 months in prison.
“He’s obviously taking responsibility for his actions, but that doesn’t diminish the severity of his actions,” Deputy Prosecutor James Smith said.
Barrar asked that Thomas receive a low-end sentence of 87 months, in spite of his poor choice to use violence instead of his words.
Thomas told Judge Gregory Gonzalez that no one in the December incident had “clean hands,” including the victim. He said he had met with the victim to purchase drugs and the man shorted him. He added that Femling was not involved.
Gonzalez ordered Thomas serve a total of 102 months in prison for both cases. “Do something different in prison,” he told Thomas.
