Yesterday the Pierce County Prosecutor’s office charged Tyler Michael Townsend, 19, with a crime spree that includes 15 different charges.

“Our High Priority Offender Unit focuses resources on criminals who are having a severe impact on our community,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist, “Our goal is to reduce crime and make our community safer.”

On June 29, 2016, Townsend was under arrest on a separate incident. After Miranda, police spoke with him about a series of events. The defendant confessed to numerous crimes at that time and said that he is addicted to methamphetamine. Townsend claims he was doing about seven grams a day.

During the interview Townsend confessed to a burglary where nine guns and 300 rounds of ammunition were stolen. Later, Townsend confessed to stealing nine vehicles between early February and late June. He also confessed to attempting to elude a police officer on three different occasions.

Townsend is changed with first degree burglary, theft of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, eight counts of theft of a motor vehicle, one count of possession of a stolen vehicle and three counts of eluding police.

Bail is set at $100,000.00.

The High Priority Offender Program uses data, technology and intel to identify and target the small percentage of offenders who are causing a large percentage of crimes. The goal is to reduce crime by focusing resources on chronic offenders.

Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.