Women get 20-day jail term for theft of mask and hat from Washington governor's office

[October 07, 2014]  SEATTLE (Reuters) - Two women who broke into Washington Governor Jay Inslee's office and stole items including an animal-fur mask and ceremonial state police hat were sentenced on Monday to 20 days in jail, a county prosecutor said.

Emily Huntzicker, from neighboring Oregon, and Rachel Kamiya of Seattle pleaded guilty in Thurston County Superior Court to misdemeanor charges of criminal trespassing and theft, deputy prosecuting attorney Jim Powers said.

Surveillance footage of the June break-in showed the pair climbing to a second-floor balcony at the State Capitol in Olympia and entering the office through an open window, according to a statement of probable cause.

"Some other people were around and kind of cheering them on, and they were somewhat intoxicated and so they did a stupid thing, they climbed up there and went inside," Powers said.

"The governor's office, good lord," he added.

They also stole a framed picture of Inslee with retired basketball star Magic Johnson, a bottle of wine, a button with art on it, a tribal blanket and two necklaces, Powers said.

The women, in their 20s, initially faced felony burglary charges, but Powers said lesser charges were sought in light of their clean criminal record.

After the break-in, Huntzicker was pulled over for speeding and the officer pointed to the hat in her car and asked her where she got it, Powers said.

"She said that she received it from a friend whom she hadn't seen in a while. Huntzicker was taken into custody for suspicion of burglary," said the statement of probable cause.

(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson; Editing by Peter Cooney)

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