PORT ANGELES — A fourth person has been arrested and booked into Clallam County jail in connection with a home invasion robbery in Sequim that was tied to drug trafficking, according to a news release from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
Cory Tyler Blake, 37, of Port Hadlock was arrested Tuesday and remained in jail Thursday in lieu of $250,000 bail for investigation of four counts of first-degree robbery and one count of first-degree burglary.
He appeared in Clallam County Superior Court on Wednesday, and arraignment was set for 1 p.m. Monday.
Blake was charged April 1 with one count of first-degree burglary as an accomplice with special firearm enhancements and four counts of first-degree robbery as an accomplice with special firearm enhancements.
They all are Class A felonies, punishable by up to lifetime imprisonment and/or a $50,000 fine, plus restitution and assessments. The firearm enhancements would add another five years to each count.
The court also issued five no contact orders to protect the alleged victims.
The case began when sheriff’s deputies and Sequim police officers responded about 5:15 a.m. March 28 to a reported home invasion robbery in the area of Riverside Road in Sequim, a sheriff’s office press release stated.
The reporting party called 9-1-1 and said people wearing face masks and carrying guns had shown up at the house in a white SUV, the press release stated. The suspects attempted to flee in their vehicle but were stopped and arrested.
Three people were booked into Clallam County jail for investigation of first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, second-degree assault and third-degree theft: Esco I. Rhodes, 32, of Kent; Eloy Estrada-Morales, 44, of Tacoma; and Maryah R. Faletego, 40, of Fife.
Sheriff’s deputies and detectives from the Olympic Narcotics Enforcement Team continued investigating the robbery and discovered a fourth suspect was involved, an updated press release stated.
They developed probable cause that Blake directed the three suspects to commit the robbery on his behalf to satisfy an unpaid debt.
Charges were filed Monday in Clallam County Superior Court and a warrant was issued to arrest Blake for investigation of the robbery and burglary charges. Blake was located Tuesday at an apartment in Kent and arrested with assistance from the Kent Police Department, the release stated.
Rhodes is scheduled to be arraigned today on one count of first-degree burglary as an accomplice with special firearm enhancements, plus four counts of first-degree robbery as an accomplice with special firearm enhancements and two counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm because he was previously convicted of a non-serious felony or domestic violence crime.
The last two are Class C felonies, punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine, plus restitution, assessments and court costs. His bail was set at $200,000.
Faletogo faces the same seven charges. She is scheduled to be in court on Monday to get a new defense attorney appointed. Her bail was set at $250,000.
Estrada-Morales was charged Tuesday with one count of first-degree burglary as an accomplice with special firearm enhancements and four counts of first-degree robbery as an accomplice with special firearm enhancements. His bail was set at $150,000.
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Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached by email at brian.gawley@peninsuladailynews.com.
