By Darlanne Cruz

Two individuals were taken into custody on Saturday night, July 26, following a reported robbery and kidnapping.  

According to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO), the incident started with a drug-related transaction that escalated into violence.

“The victim was kidnapped after a drug transaction and robbed of cash and personal items, beaten, and dumped on the side of the road,” said Sheriff Derek Sanders in a social media post.

Law enforcement located a vehicle matching the one used by the suspects — a black Yukon with distinctive stickers — in the 7600 block of 5th Avenue SE in Lacey about an hour after the incident.  

The vehicle committed a traffic violation, which prompted TCSO to initiate a traffic stop, resulting in both occupants being apprehended without incident. 

The victim was taken to the area, and then identified the two individuals as the robbers. The two suspects, who were identified via sheriff’s office records, are Joshua Dale Krohn, 34, and Bailey Irish Smith, 32.

The case was later confirmed to fall under the jurisdiction of the City of Olympia, where the crime is believed to have occurred.  

The suspects were turned over to Olympia Police Department for further investigation and will be facing charges, including first-degree kidnapping and first-degree robbery.  

The vehicle has been impounded pending the execution of a search warrant to gather more evidence.