Man released from jail without bail again a molestation suspect

EVERETT — A Port Townsend man accused of molesting a 4-year-old girl last year in Snohomish County is now under investigation for abusing at least two other girls.

Prosecutors say one of the assaults happened after an Everett judge released Joshua Larson from the Snohomish County Jail in March.

Larson, 39, has been held at the Clallam County Jail since May 22. He was arrested after a 9-year-old girl reported that Larson molested her at a public pool in Sequim on May 18.

Prosecutors here have since charged Larson with first-degree child molestation based on allegations that he abused a child at a Thanksgiving dinner last year in north Snohomish County.

A Snohomish County Superior Court Judge late last month issued a $500,000 arrest warrant for Larson, securing his transfer to the Everett jail if he’s released from the lockup in Clallam County.

“The facts of his case create a high degree of concern for the safety of the community. The concern was high when the state requested $250,000 bail on March 28, and those concerns have come to fruition after the defendant took his freedom as an opportunity to molest (a girl), a perfect stranger, in a public place,” Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Andrew Alsdorf wrote, asking for the arrest warrant.

In court documents, Alsdorf spent time outlining the information that was available to Everett District Court Judge Tam Bui when she decided to release Larson without imposing any bail.

Larson was in front of Bui the day after his March 27 arrest for the north Snohomish County case.

The judge was provided a document, called a superform, which generally spells out why police believe there is probable cause to hold someone in jail.

In this case, the police included details of the allegations in Snohomish County. They also noted that Larson was accused of molesting two other girls in the 1990s. The detective included concerns from one of the girl’s fathers, once friends with Larson. That man said Larson “should always be looked at as a threat.”

As a district court judge, Bui is asked to determine if police have proven that enough probable cause exists for the arrest. She also is asked to decide if bail is warranted. She is expected to consider whether the defendant poses a danger to the community and is likely to commit a violent offense, or if the defendant is likely to interfere with the administration of justice. She also is asked to consider if bail is necessary to secure the person’s appearance at future court hearings.

The law is clear that bail is not intended to be punishment, Bui said.

“At this point no charges are filed,” Bui said. “It’s not a hearing where we’re trying to seek to punish a person for being arrested or jailed.”

In non-capital cases, there is a presumption that a person will be released pending trial.

Bui declined to discuss Larson’s case specifically, saying it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to talk about a case now pending in Snohomish County Superior Court.

In general, she said that she considers what information the police have provided in the superform. She also considers the static adult risk assessment, which uses a person’s age, gender and criminal history to predict future behavior. She also may hear from alleged victims or from people who support the accused.

“These are difficult decisions. We take them very seriously. We’re talking about taking a person’s freedom and also the potential effects on the alleged victims and the effects on the public,” Bui said. “We do the best we can with the information we have. We don’t have the benefit of hindsight or a crystal ball.”

Prosecutors could have filed a charge against Larson sooner and asked a Superior Court judge to impose bail and conditions for Larson to follow, such as preventing him from frequenting places where children gather.

Alsdorf said he was in the middle of preparing for a murder trial when Larson was arrested. Once Larson was released from jail there was no deadline to file charges. Generally, if there is no deadline, prosecutors handling child sex crimes meet with the children and other important witnesses to discuss their wishes, such as whether they are prepared to go forward with a criminal case, he said.

The parents in this case, until recently, were undecided whether they wanted to involve their daughter in a criminal prosecution given her young age, Alsdorf said.

Additionally, prosecutors need time to weigh the strength of the evidence. They often request more investigation. Typically, molestation cases have little or no physical evidence and it boils down to whether a jury is going to believe the testimony of a child witness.

“I would also add that we shouldn’t have to rely exclusively on Superior Court judges in search of appropriate bail and conditions,” Alsdorf said. “Some would call that forum shopping, and if that became routine, the entire system of having district court judges make the initial bail decision would become untenable.”

Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives began investigating Larson in December after a girl he knew reported to her family that he touched her. Her parents confronted Larson, who denied the assault.

Detectives interviewed Larson in February. He told detectives he picked the girl up after taking away a hazardous toy, but denied any inappropriate touching. He said the girl may be making up the story because that’s what her parents wanted to hear, according to court papers.

Detectives continued to investigate the allegations. They also investigated previous allegations, speaking with two women who accused Larson of assaulting them as girls.

Larson was 24 when he was charged with child molestation after a 5-year-old girl reported that he abused her. A King County jury acquitted him at the 1998 trial.

During the investigation into that case, Bothell police also heard from another young woman who reported that Larson abused her in 1994, when she was 8. It doesn’t appear that Larson was ever charged in connection with those allegations.

In addition to the allegations in Snohomish County and Sequim, Alsdorf said that Larson now is being investigated by Port Townsend police. A 7-year-old girl has reported that Larson molested her in 2012.

Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Police: Teen in stolen car flees cops, causes crash in Lynnwood

The crash blocked traffic for over an hour at 176th Street SW. The boy, 16, was arrested on felony warrants.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.