Jason Dean Warter, a 41-year-old man from Auburn, Washington, has been sentenced to 51 months in prison after pleading guilty in three separate criminal cases involving copper wire theft, a police pursuit, and a storage unit burglary. The sentencing took place on September 12, with all sentences to run concurrently.
The first incident occurred on January 24, 2024, when Warter and an accomplice stole approximately $50,000 worth of copper wire from cellphone towers in SeaTac. The theft took place at a site housing buildings for Verizon, AT&T, and Dish Network. In addition to the stolen copper, the Verizon building sustained an estimated $9,720 in damages. Investigators identified Warter through surveillance video and fingerprint evidence at the scene.
The second incident happened on December 3, 2024, in Tukwila. Warter was spotted driving a stolen red Ford F-250 and fled from police during a traffic stop. He drove recklessly, running red lights and exceeding speed limits, before crashing into two vehicles and ultimately a tree. During his arrest, officers discovered that he had unlawfully possessed a firearm, which he attempted to grab while being apprehended. He was taken to the hospital due to a serious injury sustained in the crash.
In the third case, on December 28, 2024, Warter broke into a storage unit in Kirkland and stole over $100,000 worth of electronics, including Microsoft tablets. Surveillance video and distinct hand tattoos helped confirm his identity. After the burglary, he attempted to sell some of the stolen items on Facebook. He was arrested on February 7, 2025, while hiding in a laundry room. His accomplice later confessed and implicated Warter as the ringleader behind the break-in.
Warter pleaded guilty to multiple charges across the three cases, including second-degree burglary, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, taking a motor vehicle without permission, and attempting to elude police. With a lengthy criminal record—five adult felonies, ten adult misdemeanors, and multiple juvenile offenses—Warter received the maximum offender score for his sentencing. Both the prosecution and defense agreed on the 51-month sentence as part of a plea deal.
Despite the severity of the crimes and the financial losses incurred, Warter’s sentences were set to run concurrently, making 51 months the total time he will serve.
