Assault lands Bellevue jeweler in jail

BELLEVUE — A prominent Bellevue jeweler was sentenced to serve 30 days of a 12-month suspended sentence in the King County Jail yesterday for assaulting his former girlfriend. He could face additional charges if prosecutors can prove he intimidated the victim and violated a court order not to contact her.

Mark Anthony Porcello, who works with his parents at Porcello Jewelers in Bellevue and as a jewelry wholesaler, was also ordered by King County Superior Court Judge Sharon Armstrong to serve 24 months probation and to complete domestic-violence treatment.

Prosecutors dropped a felony-harassment charge against Porcello, who will turn 48 next week, in exchange for a guilty plea to fourth-degree assault domestic violence, a gross misdemeanor.

Porcello was arrested June 10 after his girlfriend of two years fled his house and called police, court records show. Just before 11 p.m. that night, Porcello pinned the now 24-year-old woman down, held a pillow over her face and choked her. He also punched her in the face several times and said he was going to kill her, according to charging papers.

Porcello, who posted $250,000 bail the day after his arrest, will begin serving his sentence Feb. 13.

Suspects wanted in robbery in Issaquah are arrested

ISSAQUAH — Less than a month after four men committed an armed robbery at a family-owned business, Issaquah police and King County sheriff's deputies arrested three suspects south of White Center yesterday.

On Dec. 30, four men came through the back door of El Abuelo, a Hispanic specialty store at 147 Front St. N. They ordered the owners and customers to the floor and stole $25,000 worth of jewelry, $4,500 in cash and $1,000 worth of phone cards, said Issaquah police Detective Chris Wilson.

At least one suspect was armed, he said.

The robbers also stole a purse belonging to one of the owners and later used her credit card at various Southcenter businesses, Wilson said. Surveillance videos from the businesses where the card was used helped police identify the three people arrested, two brothers, 18 and 19, and a 16-year-old male, he said. Police still are looking for a fourth suspect.

About one-third of the stolen jewelry, 10 phone cards and four handguns were found in an apartment occupied by the suspects, Wilson said.

I-405 plans to be available at Kirkland open house

KIRKLAND — The state Department of Transportation will host an open house Tuesday to discuss planned improvements to Interstate 405 in the Kirkland area.

The plans include adding one northbound lane between Northeast 70th Street and Northeast 124th Street, and one southbound lane between Highway 522 and Highway 520.

The state plans to spend $485 million improving I-405 in Kirkland, Bellevue and Renton, using some funds from a nickel-a-gallon gas-tax increase approved by the state Legislature.

The open house will cover design refinements and environmental effects in the Kirkland area. It will run from 4 to 7 p.m. at City Hall, 123 Fifth Ave.

Storm-drainage projects will close Redmond roads

REDMOND — The city plans closures of 140th Avenue Northeast between Northeast 74th and Northeast 80th streets in order to construct two storm-drain systems.

The closures begin Monday and run from 7:30 a.m. until 3.30 p.m. weekdays until March 12.

Emergency-service vehicles, school buses and residents with no alternative routes will have access throughout the closure.