Men accused of robbing woman ‘for her own good’
Two men arrested in Idaho over the weekend are suspects in a sophisticated robbery in Spokane that targeted an escort found on Craigslist last month.
Brad M. Self, 25, giving his name as “Brian,” reportedly set up a meeting with an escort on Aug. 4 and went to her apartment about midnight. While talking, the woman thought she heard her screen door shut and reportedly asked Self to check the lock on her door. When the two later went to her bedroom, a man entered the bedroom with a handgun, according to court documents. That man is suspected to be Sean E. Boyle, 24.
The men allegedly zip-tied the woman’s wrists and ransacked her apartment, “telling her they were doing this for her own good, that she needed to change her life and they were going to help rid the world of people like her,” the documents state.
As they left, Self and Boyle reportedly duct-taped the woman’s mouth and cut her phone cord. She freed herself and found numerous items missing, including her cell phone, $500 from her purse and a stash of heroin, according to the documents.
Spokane police investigated the robbery for nearly a month after the woman hesitantly reported it, Officer Jennifer DeRuwe said.
“Part of the issue is the reluctance to report this kind of crime,” DeRuwe said, “so they were counting on the fact that she wouldn’t report it.”
On Friday, Spokane detectives raided Self’s trailer in Orofino, Idaho, where they also found numerous handguns and explosives believed to have been stolen from the Lucky Friday silver and lead mine in Wallace, Idaho, said DeRuwe. Authorities arrested Self, whom they believe had moved to Orofino during the investigation.
Boyle was arrested Saturday in Moscow, Idaho. Both men are awaiting extradition to Spokane after being booked into jail on first-degree burglary, second-degree assault, first-degree robbery and unlawful imprisonment, a Spokane police news release states.
Authorities also found evidence that could link Self and Boyle to other burglaries in Idaho. Because of the sophistication of the Spokane robbery, police think there may be other victims of similar crimes.
“This might not have been the one and only time they’ve done it,” DeRuwe said of Self and Boyle.