Casey McNerthney of the King County Prosecutor's office shared their recap of crimes that were charged in the county in September. 

 

There were at least 650 criminal charges filed in September by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Violent crime and repeat property crime are the bulk of the cases we handle, and prosecutors typically file between 20–30 cases daily.

The ability of our office to file charges is based on the number of case referrals by police investigators.

Here is a breakdown of charges from the September (21 business days):

·King County prosecutors filed 131 assault charges in September, including armed assaults.

·King County prosecutors charged 52 burglaries and attempted burglaries in September, including 26 commercial burglaries.

·There were 25 robbery and attempted robbery charges filed by King County prosecutors in September.

·In addition to armed assaults and armed robberies, King County prosecutors charged 55 additional gun crimes in September, such as unlawful gun possession.

·King County prosecutors filed 72 theft or attempted theft charges in September. That includes 6 organized retail theft charges. (Most shoplifting cases are not felony thefts, they are misdemeanor cases referred to individual city attorney’s offices.)

·Stolen vehicles are the most common type of property crime prosecuted. King County prosecutors filed 60 vehicle theft and vehicle prowl-related charges in September.

·In September, the KCPAO filed 3 murder charges and 1 vehicular homicide charge. Many police murder investigations are still ongoing.

·Drug possession cases — even cases of people using meth and heroin on the streets — have not been felony crimes since the State Supreme Court’s Blake decision in February 2021. However, King County prosecutors still charge drug dealers, most often fentanyl dealers. King County prosecutors filed 29 drug dealing charges in September, including 12 fentanyl dealing charges and 8 meth dealing charges (possession with intent or drug delivery). That overall number is up from 21 drug dealing charges in August.

·Domestic violence remains the most common crime type in King County: 23 % of all charges filed in September were domestic violence related (150 of at least 650 charges).

The overwhelming majority of the 650 charges are from felony cases in Superior Court, but that number also includes a few expedited and fugitive cases in District Court. 

Click here to see a daily breakdown of charges filed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Follow this link to see each of the September dates/charges.