A Camas man whom police investigated while trying to solve a case involving church burglaries was sentenced Thursday to 10 days in jail for a drug crime.
Daniel A. Schrader, 52, pleaded guilty in Clark County Superior Court to solicitation to possess methamphetamine, a charge related to a string of church burglaries in Camas and Washougal.
The man behind the burglaries, Alexander W. Sampson, 27, of Washougal, was sentenced in August to 19 months in prison in that case and for previously stealing items from a Washougal business. He burglarized the churches between April 28 and May 14.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court, Sampson told police that he stole electronics, musical instruments, money, Bibles and other miscellaneous items from the churches. He said he gave some of the stolen property to Schrader in exchange for heroin.
The churches Sampson pleaded guilty to burglarizing were: the Church of the Nazarene, 2204 N.E. Birch St., and St. John’s Presbyterian, 1206 N.E. Birch St., both in Camas; and Gateway Community Church, 1235 E St., Washougal.
Schrader was initially charged with first-degree trafficking in stolen property, second-degree possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine and possession of heroin with the intent to deliver.
Deputy Prosecutor Dan Gasperino said Thursday that there were evidentiary issues regarding items found on Schrader’s property. He said police only obtained a search warrant for Schrader’s residence, not a detached trailer nearby. All of the stolen items but one, he said, were inside the trailer, which police illegally searched.
Additionally, the owner of one of the recovered stolen items refused to cooperate with authorities, Gasperino said.
For those reasons, the prosecution felt there was not enough evidence linking Schrader to the church burglaries, he said. Gasperino added that the drug charge also was amended because officers did not find methamphetamine on Schrader; it was found in his residence.
Schrader’s defense attorney, Diane Grecco, agreed that the prosecution had evidentiary issues but said there was no proof any items were stolen.
Judge David Gregerson agreed to follow the attorneys’ recommendation of a 364-day sentence, with 354 days suspended. Schrader had already served the 10-day difference.
