PORT ANGELES — David Allen Poole was charged Tuesday with first-degree robbery and second-degree theft for his role in an alleged armed robbery at a Sequim motel in January.
Poole, who turned 37 Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to the charges at arraignment.
The Sequim man’s trial was set for May 2 in Clallam County Superior Court.
Sequim police allege that Poole and an accomplice robbed a man of about $2,000 worth of drugs, clothing and other items at the Sequim West Inn in the early morning hours of Jan. 29.
Poole is accused of pointing a gun at the alleged victim’s face before robbing him of heroin, methamphetamine, three pairs of Nike shoes, a Jordan hat, two sweatshirts, a letterman’s jacket, jeans, a gold chain necklace, a backpack, cologne, needles, coins and a wallet with food stamps and $120 in cash, according to the affidavit for probable cause.
Alleged accomplice
The alleged accomplice, Shelby A. Schleve, also of Sequim, surrendered to law enforcement Feb. 2.
She pleaded not guilty to first-degree robbery and second-degree theft Feb. 5 and is now considering a plea offer.
Schleve was recently convicted of third-degree theft in an unrelated District Court case, the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
A Walmart security camera caught Schleve placing $60 worth of merchandise under her coat and walking out the door without paying, prosecutors said in a news release.
Schleve is presumed innocent until proven guilty in her Superior Court case, Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols said.
An informant tipped Sequim police that Poole may have been connected to the robbery, court papers said.
Police used cellphone signals to refute Poole’s claim that he had been at the Sequim Bay Lodge at the time of the alleged robbery, Officer Devin McBride wrote in his arrest report.
Poole’s bail was lowered from $100,000 to $50,000 on Tuesday.
He remained in custody Tuesday afternoon.
Defense attorney Ralph Anderson advised Superior Court Judge Christopher Melly that he might move for a change of venue due to publicity, according to the minutes of Tuesday’s hearing.
A status hearing was set for April 1.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
