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EVERETT—A Snohomish County jury found Joseph Forest Sims, 33, guilty on all counts on Tuesday, March 26, related to a 2021 multi-jurisdiction crime spree (Bothell, Mukilteo, Shoreline, and Seattle) involving, rape, drive-by shootings, burglaries and kidnappings. Sentencing is scheduled for April 12 with Judge Karen Moore.

Sims has appealed his trial-by-jury verdict and, if the appeal is approved, it will be fully paid for at “public expense.” He is also requesting that he remain in the Snohomish County Jail for 30 days after his sentencing to work on the appeal.

Sims is currently facing multiple life sentences. After years of delays by the defendant navigating the judicial system, even dismissing his public defender, Donald Wackerman one year after the original incident to represent himself, the jury found Sims guilty of the following counts:

• Two counts, First Degree Burglary, Class A felony
• One count, First Degree Rape, Class A felony
• Two counts, First Degree Kidnapping, Class A felony
• Three counts, Second Degree Assault with Deadly Weapon, Class B felony
• One count, Drive By Shooting, Class B felony
• One count, First Degree Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Class B felony

Sims is no stranger to the law with 10 juvenile felony convictions and 11 adult felonies prior to the June 15, 2021, crime spree. He was incarcerated for almost seven years, from September 19, 2008, to May 27, 2015, for assault and firearm possession. While in community custody, in January of 2017, he was arrested for numerous residential burglaries for which he was convicted on nine counts in November of 2017 and sentenced to 72 months in prison. He was released on May 7, 2021, and placed back in community custody for his 2008 conviction.

Within less than a month of being released from prison, Sims’ life of guns, drugs, and a multi-day crime spree in a 2015 silver Mercedes began, court records show.

Events leading up to Drive-by shootings and kidnappings

Shortly after being released in May of 2021, Sims rekindled his relationship with a young Bothell woman he met prior to his 2017 conviction, who the Lynnwood Times will identify as M.

Sometime between June 8 and 9 of 2021, she texted Sims to end the relationship citing “paranoid” behavior by him believing she was seeing other men in their relationship.

At around midnight on June 10, M opened the door to an unannounced visit by Sims after which he placed his hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming as a pistol was placed against her stomach. Sims allegedly threaten to kill M and her roommate L.

According to testimony by M, Sims felt disrespected by M for allegedly seeing other people and told her he is now in control. In her room, Sims forced M to unlock her phone for which he changed the passcode, and then spoke for hours about their relationship. Sims then forced M to ingest Adderall to stay up with him and at some point, during the early morning, he began making sexual advances towards her.

In her testimony, M shared that under threat, she and Sims engaged in nonconsensual intercourse. Sims then became paranoid of adding a possible rape conviction to his record that he coerced M into filming “awkward” videos of her consenting to the sexual encounter which she provided police.

Still paranoid of a rape conviction, Sims search the internet for a “sexual consent form” that he emailed to his sister in Ballard, 10 radial miles or 13.5 commuter miles from M’s residence in Bothell, to print. After being convinced by his sister to not sign the form, Sims and M drove back to her place where they arrived in Bothell around 8 p.m. that evening.

Again, still paranoid and brandishing his firearm, Sims allegedly concocted a “home invasion” scheme to incriminate M to ensure she will not report him for rape. At 11:30 p.m., they arrived at the Shoreline home, unknown to M at the time, of Sims’ ex-girlfriend. Sims told M that the woman living in the home stole $60,000 from him. Sims decided not to burglarize the home and return to M’s apartment in Bothell.

At her apartment, he allegedly sent several text messages, one of which was of M’s driver’s license and cards, to “hitters” who would “handle it” if M were to report the rape to police.

“If you tell anybody, I’m going to kill your parents, and I am going to kill you,” Sims allegedly told M according to court records shortly before they went to sleep around 2:45 a.m. on June 11.

On June 11, M convinced Sims to allow her to go to work, which he did. A co-worker convinced M to report the events to the Bothell police. Bothell detectives searched M’s apartment and documented the scene. Her roommate was out of time for a few days during this period and M stayed in a hotel.

Drive-by shootings and a kidnapping

Around 10:30 p.m. on June 14, 2021, M’s roommate returned home from her trip, aware of what transpired between M and Sims. Shortly after returning home, M’s roommate, L, heard some rustling noises and sounds of footsteps in the backyard area. She texted M’s co-worker telling her about the noise. She and M’s coworker chatted for a bit about leaving the porch lights on.

Around 3:15 a.m., on June 15, the night of the multi-jurisdiction crime spree by Sims, L awoke to the loud crashing sound of the sliding glass door being smashed. Sims was suddenly in her room allegedly with a gun in her face asking, ‘Where’s [redacted]? Where’s [redacted]?”

After telling Sims that she didn’t know where her roommate was, she was forced to walk on broken glass shards, cutting into her feet, causing them to bleed. Sims then took L to his vehicle, the silver 2015 Mercedes that is registered to Sims, forcing her to go with him. In the car was a rifle.

Sims and L drove to M’s coworkers’ place of residence in Kenmore, but then he drove pass the home heading to Mukilteo believing M was staying at her parents’ apartment.

On June 15, 2021, Mukilteo Police Officers responded to multiple reports of gunfire at the 300-unit Elliot at Mukilteo Apartments at approximately 4:03 a.m. Luckily no injuries were reported—both parents were home at the time of the shooting.

Upon arrival, Mukilteo Police discovered 29 shell casings (.223 caliber) and gunshot damage to the rear of an apartment building—predominately the master bedroom of the unit.

By the time Mukilteo police arrived, Sims was on his way to his next target, his ex-girlfriend’s home in Shoreline. Before arriving to Shoreline, Sims removed the zip tie around L’s hands and told her he would release her.

Around 4:30 a.m., they arrived at the Shoreline house where he shared with L that the woman in the home owed him money. Sims stopped his vehicle outside of the home, grabbed his rifle, exited the car, and allegedly fired 30 rounds (.223 caliber) into the house until his magazine emptied.

At a Shell Gas Station off 85th Street NW in Seattle, Sims released L from his vehicle around 4:43 a.m., and according to court records, in a menacing tone, told her to, “tell the police I will be waiting for them.” L then immediately called 911.

The defendant, Sims, then allegedly drove to another house in Seattle off 3rd Avenue NW and emptied nine rounds (.223 caliber) into the home. Detectives later discovered that this residence was allegedly associated with another one of Sims’ ex-girlfriends.

The eight-hour multi-jurisdiction crime spree in Bothell, Mukilteo, Shoreline, and Seattle, came to an end at around 6:35 a.m. on June 15, 2021, with Sims turning himself into the University of Washington Police Department. Within a few hours he was in Bothell Police custody then booked into the Snohomish County Jail where he remains.

The District Court set bail at the time in the amount of $500,000 but was later increased to $750,000 at the State’s request. Sims is considered a violent repeat felony offender.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Audrey Majkut revoked Sims bail amount on March 26. Sims is being stripped of his right to bear arms and is required to attend drug court, a court motion states.

Sims filed for appeal on March 26 at the expense of public funds, citing his indigent status. He told the court that since he has been in prison for the last several years, for multiple felonies, that he has no money and does not foresee his financial situation improving by the time of his sentencing on April 12.

Author: Kienan Briscoe