Man banned from a house arrested for burglary

An Elmer City man was arrested and taken to Grant County Jail after he allegedly entered a house in Grand Coulee from which he had been banned.

Police said Richard C. Rutledge, 63, of 40 Williams Street, had removed items from a house where he had earlier been banned from entering.

In addition to a burglary charge, Rutledge faces charges of possession of a controlled substance, third-degree theft, making false statements to a public servant, and obstructing law enforcement.

When police arrived at the Roosevelt Drive location, their report stated, Rutledge had already loaded a coffee table into his vehicle.

The same officer who had banned Rutledge from the residence, Chris McClanahan, arrested him this time.

Police returned the coffee table to the house.

Rutledge had been cuffed and placed in the back of a patrol car when he was searched by an officer who reported finding a baggie with a crystal-like substance in it. The crystals were identified as methamphetamines. The officer also found a large amount of money on Rutledge.

Three others were at the house at the time, and police are asking the prosecuting attorney to make charges ranging from residential burglary to making false statements on two of the others: Janet L. Pakootas, 58, and Darrell Burhan, 56, both of Nespelem.