Blueberry muffin leads to charges after Edmonds arrest

Published 1:30 am Monday, July 8, 2019

EDMONDS — A blueberry muffin might become key evidence that puts a man behind bars.

The Seattle man, 29, was charged last month in Snohomish County Superior Court with unlawful possession of a firearm and criminal impersonation.

An Edmonds police officer encountered him during a suspicious vehicle call in December. He was sleeping in the driver’s seat, and with him were drug paraphernalia and a bag of methamphetamine, according to charging papers.

The officer booked him into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of illicit drug possession, and two felony warrants out of King County.

After obtaining a search warrant, the officer discovered that there was more than just drugs inside the car.

There were a host of suspicious items, according to the police report: shaved keys, bolt cutters, a hacksaw and documents detailing personal identifying information of other people.

The officer noticed the stereo wasn’t sitting in place properly. Behind it was a handgun, according to court papers.

Then there was the blueberry muffin, tying the case together.

It sat in the passenger seat, partially eaten and torn apart. Its incriminating remnants were scattered throughout the car.

There was muffin smashed into the slide of the handgun, as well as in the groove of a car key, the officer noted.

“I compared the substance on the gun and key with the muffin and it appeared to be the same substance,” the officer wrote.

The man has seven previous adult felony convictions, including bail jumping and eluding police, as well as nine misdemeanors, all in King County. As a felon, it is illegal for him to possess a firearm.

His arraignment is scheduled for July 15.

Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.