Trio Sought Drugs And Money, Police Say They Didn’t Stop At Robbery After Breaking Into Homes

FROM FOR THE RECORD (Tuesday, March 24, 1998): Correction Speaker identified: Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Kathryn Lee called Shawn Cranford “a definite risk to the community and a high flight risk.” The identity of the speaker was unclear in a March 17 story on page B1 about Cranford’s alleged involvement in a home-invasion robbery.

Three men were looking for drugs and money when they broke into two occupied homes last week, Spokane authorities said.

But Jason Lee, Washington Bridges and Shawn Cranford didn’t stop at robbery, according to police.

Lee hit a man in the head with a pistol, Bridges stabbed another man in the chest and Cranford raped a woman in two home invasions late Thursday and early Friday, detectives wrote in an affidavit released Monday.

Authorities think the crimes are related, but they haven’t said how.

The three men made their first appearance in District Court after being held in the county jail over the weekend.

Lee and an unidentified man are suspected of forcing their way into a house in the 2400 block of West Riverside about 9:30 p.m. Thursday and robbing three men there.

One of the victims told police the bandits demanded drugs and money, then Lee hit him in the head with a silver revolver and threatened to kill him.

“Yeah, right,” Lee said in court Monday.

Prosecutors plan to charge the 20-year-old Lee with one count of first-degree burglary and one count of first-degree robbery. He was ordered held on $50,000 bond.

Bridges and Cranford are suspected of breaking into a house in the 400 block of West Euclid about 2:30 a.m. Friday.

Detectives said Bridges was armed with a knife and Cranford a gun. They also demanded cash and drugs, witnesses said.

Police said when a resident of the house tried to run away, Bridges stabbed him in the chest. Cranford then raped the wounded man’s girlfriend while holding a gun to her head, detectives said.

Prosecutors plan to charge Bridges with one count of first-degree burglary and one count of first-degree assault. He was ordered held on $50,000 bond.

Cranford, a known gang member, is facing charges of first-degree rape and first-degree burglary.

He was ordered held on $100,000 bond after Lee described him as “a definite risk to the community and a high flight risk.”

All three men have long criminal histories.

, DataTimes