Former Algona Police Lt. Lee Gaskill pleaded not guilty to theft charges and abuse of power Thursday morning, Aug. 20, in King County Superior Court.
Gaskill was formally arraigned at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, with King County Superior Court Judge Patrick Oishi presiding.
After Oishi scheduled a case-setting hearing for Tuesday, Sept. 1 at the RJC, Gaskill left the courtroom with his lawyer.
Gaskill is accused of allegedly stealing more than $7,000 from the South Valley Police Explorer Unit, a program in Pacific, Algona and Sumner that prepares youth for careers in law enforcement.
Although Gaskill has not been jailed, he was ordered by the court in his charging papers not to communicate with any employees of the Algona Police Department, the City of Algona, any members, officers and directors of the Explorer program, and all witnesses listed in the case.
“The defendant has already demonstrated a willingness to interfere with orderly completion of the investigation by shredding large amounts of documents and removing other documents from his office after learning of the administrative investigation (by the City of Algona),” the charging papers stated.
Additionally, charging papers allege that Gaskill “wiped” his iPad, thereby destroying any retrievable data, and that “at least one witness was instructed by Mr. Gaskill not to cooperate with the investigation.”
Gaskill resigned from the police department on April 24, rather than face possible termination at a Loudermill hearing conducted by the City. A Loudermill hearing is part of the due process requirement that must be provided a police officer before a firing or the imposition of discipline.
In a resignation letter delivered to Algona Mayor Dave Hill at the hearing, Gaskill said that he was resigning because he felt he was being denied due process in the employment proceedings.
Gaskill allegedly took $7,000 from the fund, according to the affidavit of probable cause, the document on which the prosecutor has based the charges.
Among the unauthorized purchases Gaskill allegedly made using the Explorer’s fund credit cards were: $43.70 at a gun store for a 20-round handgun magazine (Explorers are not issued guns); $426.01 at Fry’s Electronics for a home theater speaker system; $71 at the Daffodil Bowl in Puyallup; $95 at a gas station; $104.27 at Blumenthal’s Uniform for brass insignia for chief of police; and $337.58 at Costco for a HO Sports Delta 3 Towable (an inflatable boating recreational device used to tow people behind a power boat).
According to warrant paperwork, authorities suspect Gaskill made many more purchases, among them unauthorized purchases at “numerous restaurants, doughnut shops, gas receipts and department stores.”
Additionally, after being informed he was being investigated in February, Gaskill – through his attorney – notified investigators that they could pick up Police Explorer-related items at his house.
Algona Police Officers then went to Gaskill’s house where they collected from Gaskill’s wife a popcorn maker, a hot dog bun warmer and cooker and four cashiers checks totaling $19,206, all written in February after the investigation began, and made payable to the South Valley Explorers, with the remitter listed as Lee J. Gaskill.
Gaskill served nine months as Algona’s interim police chief and had been involved in the Pacific, Algona and Sumner Police Explorers since its formation in 2008. The organization provides practical policing experience to youth interested in pursuing careers in law enforcement. The organization is funded by donations and staffed by volunteers.