SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. —A grand jury indicted two men on Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charges after alleging they led a violent group that targeted victims around Washington.
Kevin Thissel, 28, and Chris Johnson, 23, are being held on federal charges in connection with a tragic house invasion that killed Irah M. Sok, 36 in August 2022. Thissel has been in detention since April, and Johnson has been in custody since 2022 on other accusations, according to authorities.
Prosecutors intend to prosecute the men in state court with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, first-degree theft of a firearm, and unlawful possession of firearms.
According to United States Attorney Tessa Gorman, Thissel and Johnson were accused on RICO charges for “leading and participating in a violent gang that terrorized from South King County to Snohomish County to Skagit County.”
According to Gorman, the guys frightened families and children by committing robberies, burglaries, kidnapping, and murder. According to authorities, the criminal cell, led by Thissel and Johnson, wore dark clothing and masks and targeted homes when they knew people were present. Striking late at night or early in the morning, Gorman said the males would frequently kick in the door, sometimes claiming to be law enforcement. The thieves used zip ties to confine the victims and searched the property for valuables, according to Gorman. Some victims were as young as nine years old.
According to Gorman, this is the first RICO indictment in the Western District of Washington in 17 years. She stated that RICO, an act enacted in 1970, is a crucial instrument for law enforcement seeking to destroy organized crime. According to Gorman, investigating each instance independently rather than collectively would have prevented investigators from tracing the entire breadth of the violent acts.
“They terrorized families,” Gorman explained. “They terrified youngsters in our neighborhoods throughout the Western District of Washington. And they accomplished it through robbery, burglary, kidnapping, and murder. They utilized fear to control their victims and to instill fear in our communities.
Sok died from a gunshot wound during the horrific August 2022 home invasion, according to authorities. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office reports that three guys broke into a home on the 2600 block of 96th Street Southeast, just east of Interstate 5 near Everett Mall in unincorporated Everett.
At least one of the males was wearing a mask or disguise, and another “possibly had his face painted,” a SCSO spokesperson told KING 5 crews on the site.
According to the SCSO, the men who broke into the home went to the second floor and shot and killed Sok.
According to officials, the spouse rushed to a neighbor’s house and called 911 after the suspects who broke in escaped on foot. There was a child in the house at the time. According to the sheriff’s office, both the husband and the child are safe.
According to investigators, the criminal cell targeted Asian-American families in their spate of violent attacks.
“The break in this case shows our detective’s perseverance and commitment to solving crimes in our community and bringing us one step closer to justice for Irah and her family,” stated Snohomish County Sheriff Susanna Johnson. “This cruel act of violence had a significant impact on our community since it left a little child without his mother. “This investigation was extremely complex.”
This is still an active investigation, and anyone with information is encouraged to call the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes tipline at 425-388-3845.