PORT TOWNSEND — Graham Thomas Welch faces a February trial on 14 felony counts of alleged drug possession, burglaries of The Green Eyeshade home decor store and Don’s Pharmacy, and possession of a fuseless pipe bomb.
Welch, 25, of Port Townsend pleaded not guilty to all charges in Jefferson County Superior Court on Friday.
A Jan. 6 status hearing and a Feb. 16 trial date were set for the Adams Street resident.
But Welch may never appear before a jury.
Chris Ashcraft, Jefferson County chief criminal deputy prosecuting attorney, predicted Friday that “eventually” the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will be involved in plea negotiations with Welch’s attorney.
Ben Critchlow of Jefferson Associated Counsel, representing Welch, did not return calls Friday for comment about the case.
Welch remained Saturday in the Jefferson County Jail on $50,000 bond.
Welch, the son of former Mayor Mark Welch, does not have a criminal record, Richard Davies, head of Jefferson Associated Counsel, said Friday.
Welch also was unknown as a miscreant to the county Prosecuting Attorney’s office, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney James Kennedy said Friday.
“He was never on our radar until he was picked up,” Kennedy said.
The following charges have been filed against Welch:
■ Possession of a bomb or explosive device with intent to use for unlawful purpose and possession of explosives without a license.
■ Two counts of second degree burglary.
■ Three counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance related to three different drugs and two counts of unlawful possession of a “legend drug” — a class of drug that can be non-narcotic but is available only by prescription.
■ Second-degree theft, two counts of third-degree possession of stolen property and two counts of third-degree malicious mischief.
The chain of legal action against Welch began with his arrest Dec. 16 for the burglary earlier that day of The Green Eyeshade on Water Street, according to a series of police reports on the incidents.
Welch was arrested after police found items allegedly stolen from the store in his backpack.
At the time he was being questioned by a police officer nearby on suspicion of breaking into a vehicle that turned out to be his own car, according to a Port Townsend police report.
Police also found a pouch of lock picks and a box of wine glasses with a Green Eyeshade price tag.
They said that Welch admitted during a subsequent police interview to taking items from the store, according to the report.
During the interview, he was questioned about a Dec. 13 burglary at Don’s Pharmacy, also on Water Street, which he denied committing.
Prescription narcotics such as Fentanyl patches and Oxycodone tabs with a combined street value “in the tens of thousands” of dollars were stolen, according to the police report.
Cabinets in the pharmacy were thrown around, and a display case holding antique pharmacy equipment was broken.
A Dec. 17 search warrant was issued to inspect Welch’s car on the basis of video footage from Don’s Pharmacy.
It shows a man of similar size to Welch and wearing similar clothing in the store.
The search warrant also was based on shoe impressions taken from the pharmacy that were Welch’s shoe size, according to the report.
Police took as evidence from Welch’s 1996 Chevrolet Lumina flashlights, night-vision devices and a vial of Ketorolac Tromethamine, an anti-inflammatory drug.
The vial had a lot number that matched inventory at Don’s Pharmacy.
“Graham denied knowing how the item got into his car,” according to a police report.
Behind the driver’s seat was found an 8-inch-long, 1-inch-wide plastic pipe filled with black powder and BB-like metal pellets.
It was sealed with end caps.
Tape covered a drilled hole in one of the end caps. There was no fuse.
“In a pipe bomb, a fuse is often inserted into a hole through the end cap,” according to a police report.
Also found in the vehicle was a bottle of stump remover.
The liquid often consists of potassium nitrate, which is used in fireworks and other explosives.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
