West Seattle Crime Watch: Repeat offender Joel Lund sentenced

(Video of entire sentencing hearing, about 25 minutes, added 5:23 pm)
We’re at the King County Courthouse downtown, where West Seattle catalytic-converter thief and repeat offender Joel Lund, 28, has just been sentenced by Superior Court Judge Catherine Shaffer. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, represented by senior deputy prosecutor Shaya Calvo, had asked for the top of the range available – 29 months in prison; Lund pleaded guilty last month to the charges filed in the case, including malicious mischief for a February incident involving converter theft, and malicious mischief/stolen-property trafficking, related to a variety of cases (including a theft at the Boren School site), but the case discussed most at the sentencing was the one reported here, in which the converter was taken from a vehicle belonging to an disabled 78-year-old woman. Judge Shaffer read a letter written by the victim, saying the theft deprived her of transportation for more than two weeks. “She could have starved,” said the judge, admonishing Lund.

While Judge Shaffer described herself as “notorious” for sentences that included less prison time and more drug-treatment time – the defense had asked for that kind of a sentence – she said that Lund’s repeated crimes in the West Seattle community were, among other things, “callous.” Speaking to her in the courtroom, Lund claimed he wanted to turn his life around now because of his daughter, who is four. But the judge noted that he had repeated convictions every year since her birth, saying it didn’t seem like fatherhood had been a “motivating factor” thus far. (We recorded the entire hearing on video and will upload it to add to this story when we are back at headquarters.) And she ordered the 29-month sentence.

Despite his lengthy history, this will be the first time Lund has gone into the state prison system. His most recent arrest was in April; he had been allowed into a community work-release type of program after the February arrest but violated its terms by getting arrested again, as we had reported here.

rab July 8, 2011 (3:14 pm)

Did he get the 29 month sentence?

Colleen July 8, 2011 (3:34 pm)

Good! Can we get that judge for Skylar too?

Paul July 8, 2011 (3:36 pm)

About frikin time! Enjoy your cell

ellenater July 8, 2011 (3:49 pm)

Go Judge Shaffer!

geronimo July 8, 2011 (4:00 pm)

what was the sentence?

WSB July 8, 2011 (4:18 pm)

Sorry, I had intended to follow “asked for the top of the range, 29 months” with “and that’s what he got.”

CMeagh July 8, 2011 (4:22 pm)

Hopefully he won’t be back in this part of town anytime soon. 29 months sounds good, but once that time is up I am sure he will be back up to his old tricks.

CandrewB July 8, 2011 (4:47 pm)

Our hood can breathe a bit easier for the next two years. I’m convinced he and his crew were responsible for at least 50% of our irritating property crimes in the Fairmount area.

Todd July 8, 2011 (4:51 pm)

Enjoy your time, thief.

Krystal July 8, 2011 (5:48 pm)

“Despite his lengthy history, this will be the first time Lund has gone into the state prison system.”

What a joke. How much money do we have to waste to lock someone up?

Bettytheyeti July 8, 2011 (7:33 pm)

Now that he is “formally” guilty of theft, I expect to see Lund’s picture circulated on telephone poles around Fairview and Seaview pending his next release from jail. I am sure his short stay will do nothing to rehabilitate this vandal. I will personally see to posting photos of the Catalytic Converter Thief in Seaview.

katiem July 8, 2011 (10:21 pm)

Nice to see the judge call bs on his “motivation” speech by countering it with his yearly records of his convictions.
.
29 months minus what for “good behavior” while in prison, and the pressure to release him early because of overcrowding??

Ken July 9, 2011 (6:12 am)

In the trial, did the name of the salvage dealer who bought the converters from him ever surface? That is where the more serious crime took place.

WSB July 9, 2011 (7:30 am)

Ken – there was no trial. He pleaded guilty as charged. – TR

CB July 9, 2011 (9:39 am)

Nice to see a “law and order” Judge in Seattle.

Ray West July 11, 2011 (8:22 am)

I can’t believe how long it has taken to get this bad-ass criminal off the street and into prison where he belongs. It’s been very frustrating for my neighbors and I to have had to literally watch this guy and his “companions” constantly rob and vandalize our West Seattle area. For years he would get nothing more than a little “slap on the wrist” from the justice system for all his previous crimes, then he would come right back and blatantly commit more right under our noses. We can hope after this sentence that he will truly be motivated to, “turn his life around,” but I doubt it.

Sorry, comment time is over.