Othello woman sentenced in firearms case

OTHELLO — A local woman has been sentenced to federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm.

Alondra Yanez, 25, of Othello, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for being felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice said the sentence will be tacked onto the end of a 12-month sentence for second-degree theft.

According to court records, Yanez pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Dec. 14, 2022, to the firearms charge.

She was previously convicted of the theft charge in Adams County Superior Court, records show. Following release, she will serve an additional three year of probation.

Court records show that on Feb. 14, 2021, Yanez and Guillermo Valdez stole 11 firearms from a home in Spokane County.

After the theft, Yanez helped sell the firearms on Facebook, records show. One of the guns was used Feb. 27, 2021, to kill a 4-year-old child in Othello during a domestic dispute.

“Ms. Yanez endangered our community by trafficking in stolen firearms. Her conduct directly led to the tragic homicide of a 4-year-old child,” U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref said after sentencing. “I’m grateful for the joint efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement, who helped bring Ms. Yanez to justice and who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe and our neighborhoods strong.”

“Ms. Yanez’s brazen conduct clearly warranted this significant sentence,” ATF Resident Agent-in-Charge Sterling Nixon said. “ATF is committed to keeping members of our communities safe from individuals who provide firearms to dangerous criminals.”

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Othello and Moses Lake police, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and Washington State Patrol.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Ellis prosecuted the case.