Teenager's rape videotaped; 5 Eastsiders held

Kittitas County prosecutors expect to file charges today against five Eastside men suspected of raping a 14-year-old girl in an Ellensburg motel room last week — an attack that apparently was videotaped.

"I was told it was very disturbing," Deputy Prosecutor Margaret Sowards said of the tape, seized by police from a room at the Thunderbird Motel, where the five men were arrested early Saturday morning.

Sowards said her office is considering filing child-rape charges against the five men — two 18-year-olds and two 19-year-olds from Kirkland and a 20-year-old from Kenmore.

They were arrested after Ellensburg police received a report of a naked girl being chased through the motel parking lot.

A witness pointed police to one of the rooms at the motel, on the edge of downtown Ellensburg. The man who answered the door said he was there with some friends and denied there was a girl in the room.

But police found a girl there and took the men to the Kittitas County Jail on suspicion of rape, possession of alcohol and furnishing alcohol to a minor.

One of the 19-year-olds was also arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession. He posted $30,750 bail Sunday, and the other 19-year-old and one of the 18-year-olds posted $30,500 bail early in the week.

Bail for the two remaining in jail was raised to $150,000 Tuesday.

Prosecutors would not say whether the men knew the girl. One of the 18-year-old suspects was shot in the leg during a botched robbery at his father's Finn Hill home last month. While investigating the robbery, King County sheriff's detectives determined that the 18-year-old was selling marijuana.

According to court documents, two teenagers barged into the house, shot the 18-year-old, then fatally shot and stabbed Robert Turner, a 39-year-old visitor.

The two accused in the case — 17-year-old Daniel Carter and 18-year-old Steven Spruel — have been charged with first-degree murder.

Janet Burkitt can be reached at 206-515-5689 or jburkitt@seattletimes.com.