Prosecutors in Snohomish County have filed five felony charges against a 21-year-old man originally from Kyrgyzstan, accusing him of orchestrating a months-long scheme to seize high-value shipments from residential delivery sites throughout the Puget Sound region.
According to a 20-page charging document submitted Monday, the suspect reportedly posed as intended recipients by presenting falsified identification documents, allowing him to accept packages from UPS drivers without raising suspicion.
His activities drew attention across Snohomish and King counties between March and June of last year, culminating in his arrest in early June. The initial reported incident in Snohomish County occurred in April 2025 in Mill Creek, where he collected a shipment of 500 silver coins valued at roughly $15,000. Records indicate he used the recipient’s details to sign for the parcel before departing.
About a month later, he tried a similar approach in Bothell to claim a shipment of gold bars, but the UPS driver declined to hand over the package, prompting the suspect to leave quickly in his vehicle.
A few days before his arrest, he took gold bars worth approximately $6,900 in Edmonds by telling the driver he was the homeowner’s son.
Police in Mill Creek coordinated with a UPS corporate investigator who flagged the local thefts as part of a broader pattern affecting at least a dozen locations from Shoreline to Issaquah. Other stolen or targeted items included a high-end wristwatch and boxes of rifle ammunition, though gold and platinum bars sourced from Costco emerged as the primary focus.
Investigators estimate the total value of goods either taken or attempted to be taken exceeded $380,000.
Homeland Security Investigations assisted Mill Creek detectives in connecting the suspect to a residence in Kirkland. Court filings note he did not hold a Washington or U.S. driver’s license and entered the country on a student visa.
His apprehension came during an effort to intercept another shipment in Kirkland, where officers showed him stills from surveillance footage of UPS vehicles. He acknowledged being the individual pictured in those images.
He explained to investigators that he began working through Telegram, receiving directives on timing and location for package pickups. He said he would forward the seized items to intermediaries in Minnesota or Florida, though pawn receipts discovered in his vehicle confirmed he had already liquidated portions of his haul.
Police examination of the defendant’s mobile device yielded evidence linking him to recent larcenies in the region. Officers recovered over two dozen images of counterfeit identification documents that combined the suspect’s likeness with the personal details of another individual. Additionally, digital communications and photographs of gold ingots were discovered, with timestamps aligning with several reported break-ins, according to filings with the court.
The defendant has stated that he was unaware his conduct violated the law. Court documents indicate he has consented to assist in a broader federal inquiry coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security.
In Snohomish County, the man has been charged with two instances of first-degree identity theft and two counts of first-degree theft, each involving amounts greater than $5,000. A single count of second-degree identity theft has also been filed. These specific accusations pertain only to the alleged crimes committed within the county’s jurisdiction.
Prosecutors have asked the judge to establish a bail amount of $50,000. The suspect is set to appear for an arraignment hearing on Oct. 26.