By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The accused prolific local trafficker of pain medications from both inside and outside prison pleaded guilty yesterday in a deal that could put him away for 12 years but avoid a third strike.
Forrest E. Amos, 31, was charged late last year in Lewis County Superior Court with leading organized crime and a multitude of other offenses following an ongoing investigation by the Centralia Police Department.
Law enforcement estimated that in 2011 when Amos was aggressively dealing Oxycodone, that he was the main supplier of the synthetic opiate within Lewis County, possessing and dealing thousands of pills a month.
Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead said he dropped the charge of organized crime, something police said Amos did by orchestrating drug dealing even after he was incarcerated. Amos pleaded guilty yesterday to an assortment of other offenses, he said.
Halstead also dismissed four counts of intimidating a witness, in a case from this summer in which Amos was suspected of planning from inside the jail to have associates hurt or pressure witnesses against him.
Amos is formerly of Napavine and Chehalis.
Halstead and defense attorney Don Blair will recommend to a judge that Amos be sentenced to 12 years, he said. A date for that court hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Amos’s sister Sylvia Pittman was charged also in June with witness intimidation, for allegedly delivering a “hit list” to another so-called supporter-conspirator.
Pittman, 27, pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of attempted witness intimidation and was sentenced yesterday to intensive inpatient drug and alcohol treatment; though if she fails at anytime during the following two years while she is under supervision, she could be sent to prison for almost two years, according to Halstead.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Good job TOODANCE! I think Jonathan Meyer may want to do some cleansing. Perfect weather for clearing out the “STINK” in his office.
What does this tid bit in ones past have to do with his job performance? I think he should’ve been promoted! Sex at a Hawks game…… Like a Boss!
@BobbyinLC
I see the confusion…Will Halstead was Thurston County’s deputy prosecutor back in 2006. . . *so the news article I found was written in 2006*.
shortly after Will Halstead “resigned” from Thurston County, Lewis County decided he was the absolute best candidate for the job of Deputy Prosecutor and hired him shortly thereafter. . .
(on the side: Lewis County appears to keep an odd relationship with Thurston County. . . .ever notice how many sex offenders in this area are from Thurston County? they pay our county to house ’em. . . )
I thought Will Halstead was a deputy prosecutor here? And John Tunheim is the elected prosecuting attorney in Thurston County not the Chief Deputy Prosecutor.
what the??
looked up Halstead
news to me:
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Man (Will Halstead) arrested at Qwest resigns
Prosecutor was allegedly having sex
By SCOTT GUTIERREZ, SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
Updated 10:00 pm, Friday, December 22, 2006
“A Thurston County deputy prosecutor who was arrested after allegedly having sex in a Quest Field women’s bathroom has resigned.
Will Halstead offered his letter of resignation earlier this week, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Jon Tunheim said Friday. He will leave his post at year’s end with potential misdemeanor charges hanging over him.
“It was probably the best decision for him and for this office, because it allows him an opportunity to find new career changes and it allows us to continue to focus on our work and move on,” Tunheim said.
Halstead, 39, was arrested Oct. 22 during the Seahawks-Vikings game after Qwest employees notified sheriff’s deputies about sexual activity in a restroom stall. At the time, women were lining up outside.
Halstead was arrested on a charge of trespassing because it was illegal for him to be in the women’s restroom. Deputies also cited him for obstructing police officers because he was argumentative.”
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what’s that say for Lewis County . . . .