A father and son recently arrested during simultaneous warrant searches in Walla Walla and College Place have each been charged with least one felony.
John A. Smith, 49, of College Place, faces a single charge of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. His son, John A. Smith Jr., 32, of Walla Walla, faces three counts of the same charge.
First-degree unlawful possession of a firearm is a Class B felony.
The court has appointed Nicholas Holce to be the younger defendant’s attorney. Rachel Cortez has been appointed to represent the father.
Both men are believed to be members of the Pagan Outlaw motorcycle gang, according to court documents.
The men were arrested Feb. 3 by the Walla Walla Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, an anti-gang squad made up of law enforcement officers from the Walla Walla and College Place police departments, the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington Department of Corrections.
The task force searched each man’s residence as part of its investigation into the motorcycle gang’s local chapters and their members.
Two shotguns and a handgun were found at the younger Smith’s residence, and one gun was found at his father’s residence, according to court documents. Both men are felons, and neither are allowed to possess firearms, court documents state.
Two other searches of properties connected to the Pagan Outlaw motorcycle gang — conducted at the same time in Spokane by the Spokane Regional Safe Streets Task Force — did not lead to any arrests.
Bail was set at $30,000 bond, or $3,000 cash, for each defendant, and both have been released, according to the Walla Walla County Jail roster.
While the older Smith has been ordered not to leave Walla Walla County, his son has been granted permission to travel to Umatilla County as needed to for medical appointments.
Both men are due back in court for arraignment on Feb. 14 at 3 p.m.
