A Thurston County man is facing a federal charge after deputies say they pulled two unserialized "ghost guns" from his pickup following a wild pursuit that ended outside Rochester. Investigators say the Jan. 22 chase came to a stop only after the truck smashed through a fence onto rural property, and the driver took off on foot before deputies finally tracked him down and took him into custody.
Michael Lee Draper, 47, has now appeared in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on a federal unlawful-possession charge, according to FOX 13 Seattle. Prosecutors say Draper is barred from having firearms because of prior felony convictions, and court records show he was sentenced in 2009 to 13 years in prison for unlawfully possessing firearms, including a stolen firearm. The criminal complaint alleges deputies recovered two unserialized firearms from the pickup after the crash.
Federal Statutes And Possible Penalties
Federal rules on felons in possession of firearms are set out at 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), with penalties laid out in 18 U.S.C. § 924. Violating subsection (g) typically carries up to 10 years in prison under § 924(a)(2), though the sentence can climb higher in certain cases. The U.S. Sentencing Commission notes that the Armed Career Criminal Act can trigger a 15-year mandatory minimum for defendants with qualifying prior violent or serious drug convictions. See the statute as published by the Legal Information Institute and the sentencing framework from the U.S. Sentencing Commission for details.
Chase, Crash And Items Seized
Thurston County deputies say they began pursuing Draper on Jan. 22 after reports of reckless driving, and that the chase ended only when his truck blew through a fence on rural property near Rochester. According to investigators, Draper bolted from the wrecked vehicle and was later found in a wooded ravine with help from a Washington State Patrol aircraft before being arrested. After obtaining a search warrant, deputies say they discovered a black AR-style rifle and a pistol without serial numbers, suspected methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and items tied to an investigation involving the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. A passenger at the scene was detained, according to FOX 13 Seattle.
What Happens Next
The case is moving forward in U.S. District Court in Tacoma and, according to prosecutors and reporting, involves the Cowlitz Tribal Police Department, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington is handling the prosecution, and authorities say they will continue reviewing the seized weapons and other evidence as the federal case progresses. General information about the office is available from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington.
