A 17-year-old appeared in Clark County Superior Court on Thursday morning, facing a potential charge of first-degree robbery.
Jacob Lewis Oster is accused of wielding a knife, threatening a man who was trying to buy a gun from him. It was not clear from records if Oster actually had a gun in his possession.
Deputy Prosecutor Katie Sinclair asked Judge John Fairgrieve to set bail at $100,000.
Sinclair argued for the large bail amount due to Oster’s juvenile criminal record that includes convictions for jumping bail, third-degree theft and fourth-degree assault.
Oster’s alleged victim told investigators the knife had a three- to four-inch silver blade and a black or green plastic handle. Oster allegedly “jabbed the knife toward the victim’s stomach,” according to a probable cause affidavit.
The victim handed over his wallet.
Defense attorney Katie Kauffman, whom Fairgrieve appointed after hearing from Oster that he did not have money to hire legal representation, asked for a lower bail of $20,000.
Kauffman also noted a new law that took effect in Washington on Thursday. Senate Bill 6160 changes current law so that several offenses, including first-degree robbery, are no longer automatically sent to adult court for defendants aged 16 and 17.
The other crimes included in the bill are drive-by shooting, first-degree burglary if the juvenile has a prior felony or misdemeanor offense, and “any violent offense when (the) juvenile is alleged to have been armed with a firearm.”
The defense attorney said after Oster’s hearing that she does not know if the change in law applies to crimes allegedly carried out before the bill’s effective date. But she said she will argue her client’s case should be moved to juvenile court.
Fairgrieve set bail at $75,000, stating that Oster may be a threat to the community given his criminal history.
