Woman pleads guilty to conspiracy charge

A 20-year-old Spokane woman faces up to 2 1/2 years in prison for conspiring to rob an alleged drug dealer who was shot in the abdomen at point-blank range with a 20-gauge shotgun.

Amber J. Bridge had been charged with attempted first-degree murder, drive-by shooting, conspiracy to commit first-degree burglary, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery and attempted first-degree robbery in the near-fatal shooting of William Weller Bedford. She pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery.

Co-defendants Samson Ogbit “Spook” Tesfamariam, 29, and Shawn Jeffery Nason, 23, had already accepted plea bargains in the Feb. 20 incident at Bedford’s apartment at 6901 N. Wiscomb.

Bridge said she knew Nason and Tesfamariam had a shotgun, but didn’t think they would use it when she helped them in the botched robbery. The two men attempted to force their way into Bedford’s apartment when she got him to open the door.

Bedford pushed against the door and tried unsuccessfully to wrestle away the shotgun one of his attackers stuck through the partially open doorway. After the weapon fired, Bedford was hospitalized with what authorities said was a life-threatening wound. The attackers fled without completing the robbery.

Police said Bedford told them he had just received a large quantity of crack cocaine, and he believed his attackers were trying to steal his supply.

Bridge will be sentenced Sept. 23. Spokane County Superior Court Judge Linda Tompkins allowed Bridge to remain free without bail until then.