News Update

POSTED: Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Kennewick woman accused of stealing, selling dog

A 25-year-old Kennewick woman is in jail after allegedly stealing and then selling a dog from a family who took her in.

The Jack Russell Terrier, named Jack, was found and returned to its owners after the buyer apparently lost it, said Kennewick police Sgt. Ken Lattin.

Jack's owners tracked down the buyer after she posted an online ad about the lost dog and were able to determine she had bought him from a woman named Brandi Parker, Lattin said.

Parker had been staying at the victims' home at Whispering Winds Mobile Home Park, 2906 W. Seventh Ave., in Kennewick, for about three months, Lattin said.

The incident started Oct. 23, when the victims reported some jewelry was missing from their home, Lattin said. Four days later, 5-year-old Jack also disappeared.

The victims filed a report with animal control and started looking on Craigslist to see if anyone was trying to sell Jack, Lattin said.

On Friday, Jack's owners learned a dog matching his description was found by animal control in Airway Heights in Richland and also spotted a lost dog ad from Richland around the same time, Lattin said.

When Jack's owners called the woman who posted the ad, they realized it was the same dog. The woman told them she had bought Jack for $50 at Safeway from a woman named Brandi Parker, Lattin said.

Lattin said officers were able to positively identify Parker as the seller of the dog based on information from the buyer.

Parker was arrested Saturday and booked into the Benton County jail on suspicion of first-degree trafficking stolen property, a felony, and taking an animal with intent to deprive or defraud the owner, a gross misdemeanor.