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UAS and K9 Locate Burglary Suspect – Second Suspect, Listening to Scanner App, Arrested for Rendering Criminal Assistance
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Deputies, with the assistance of a Spokane Police Department K9, located a burglary suspect and took him into custody without incident. During the subsequent investigation, Deputies learned the suspect’s girlfriend was listening to a scanner app and tried to assist him in escaping by evading law enforcement. She was located and arrested for rendering criminal assistance.
On September 21, 2024, at approximately 9:50 pm, Deputies responded to the report of a commercial burglary at Spaldings, 1125 N. Market Street.
Security advised they could see a male inside the fenced area of the facility on security video.
From previous calls, Deputies knew the property was enclosed by an approximately 7’ tall fence with barbwire across the top.
As Deputies established a perimeter, a Deputy observed a male, later identified as 38-year-old Carlos T. Medrano Jr., running along the fence line toward Market Street and provided a clothing description. Deputies gave K9 warmings advising the suspect to surrender; a K9 would be used to find him, and he might be bitten if he continued to hide.
A Spokane Police Department (SPD) K9 Unit arrived to assist in the search for the suspect. Deputies launched a UAS (unmanned aerial system) equipped with a camera with daytime and nighttime technology, which was extremely useful during the search for the suspect at night in a large salvage yard filled with cars.
With the UAS assisting from above, the SPD K9 Unit tracked Medrano to a vehicle, where he was found hiding inside. He was safely detained and advised of his rights.
Medrano tried to tell Deputies that he was at the business when it was open but fell asleep in the car where he was located. When confronted with the fact a Deputy observed him running near the fence, Medrano requested a lawyer, and the Deputies ended the interview.
Deputies searched Medrano and located a flashlight, keys, and a cell phone. Although the phone’s screen was locked, several messages from Medrano’s girlfriend, 30-year-old Jordan D. Newkirk, could be seen. These messages indicated Newkirk was listening to a scanner app and providing real-time information regarding the law enforcement search in an apparent attempt to help Medrano hide and avoid capture.
Medrano was transported to the Spokane County Jail to be booked for Commercial Burglary and Possession of Burglary Tools, but he was refused at jail due to a previous medical condition. A Deputy transported Medrano to the hospital for an evaluation. Over an hour later, Medrano was medically cleared, transported back to jail, and booked on his charges.
Deputies also located a possible location for Newkirk and observed her inside the residence. They knocked several times, and finally, Newkirk answered the door. She admitted to listening to a scanner app but said she only let Medrano know that a K9 was there out of concern and only advised him to surrender so he wouldn’t be bitten. When asked, she agreed to show the messages on her phone, but Deputies noticed several messages had been deleted. Newkirk tried to explain, saying Medrano had her social media log in, and he must have logged on and deleted them.
Knowing that could not have happened because the messages she sent would not have been visible on Medrano’s locked screen if he had logged in. After additional investigation, Deputies developed probable cause to charge Newkirk with Rendering Criminal Assistance 2nd Degree and arrested her.
Newkirk was transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail for this misdemeanor charge.
Newkirk’s bond was set at $1,000 (general bond), which she posted through a bail bond company on the afternoon of September 22, 2024.
Medrano appeared in court on September 23, 2024, where Spokane County Superior Court Commissioner E. Cruz set his total bond at $5,000. He used a bail bond company to post the bond and was released after midnight on September 25, 2024.
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This Spokane County Sheriff Office news article "UAS and K9 Locate Burglary Suspect – Second Suspect, Listening to Scanner App, Arrested-Rendering" was originally found on https://www.spokanecounty.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?CID=7