MASON COUNTY, Wash. — Two Mason County men entered not guilty pleas Monday to burglary and stolen weapon theft charges.
Michael Goins and Braden Spilman are accused of stealing two gun safes containing 20 weapons, along with ammunition, compressors, and personal documents from a rural Mason County property near Belfair in late September.
The owner of the guns said he received 12 of the weapons back, along with the compressors and safes. One had its door ripped off, the other had the lock portion removed from the door.
The Mason County man, who wanted to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, said he was thankful for the work of law enforcement.
According to detectives, a neighbor’s surveillance camera captured images of a truck driving with the two safes in its bed. Detectives were able to trace the truck to Spilman’s property outside of Belfair.
A sheriff’s spokesperson said the compressors, safes and several of the weapons were found on Spilman’s property.
A water tanker allegedly stolen from a Gig Harbor victim was also found on Spilman’s property, said the spokesperson.
Detectives are trying to determine if any other items on the property have been reported stolen.
Goins and Spilman are set to go to trial later this winter.
A third defendant was scheduled to be arraigned Monday, but he was too ill to make his court appearance. He is expected to be charged next week. KING 5 News does not typically name individuals until they have been charged.
Goins and Spilman have prior felony convictions, so they were not supposed to be in possession of firearms.
Following his court appearance Monday, Spillman said he was under the impression the men had permission to be on the property.
The property owner said that was not the case.