Sex offender moves to Spokane

A sex offender convicted of molesting an 8-year-old boy has moved to Spokane after serving a five-year prison sentence.

David W. Lewis, 48, registered with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office after leaving prison Jan. 4. Lewis, who stands 5-foot-8 and weighs 200 pounds, is not wanted by police, a press release said. He has brown eyes and brown hair.

Lewis has also been convicted of molesting an 11-year-old boy and admitted to other sexual offenses involving young males, for which he wasn’t charged, according to state crime records. In past instances, Lewis has befriended parents of young boys to gain their trust and then molested their children. He is under state supervision for 36 to 48 months and is prohibited from contacting any child younger than 16.

Spokane Valley

Man suspected of abusing 6 boys

A man suspected of molesting six young boys in Utah was arrested Monday in Spokane Valley by the Eastern Washington Joint Fugitive Task Force.

Officers arrested Nicholas L. Charlton, 48, at his workplace. Police say he was living in Cheney at 16724 S. Sherman Road.

The arrest warrant served on Charlton was for aggravated sexual abuse of a child. Detectives in Spanish Fork, Utah, say three young boys came forward independently alleging they’d been molested by Charlton. The allegations date back to 1996.

Charlton refused to waive extradition to Utah.

No injuries in fire at industrial park

A fire erupted at Spokane Business and Industrial Park Monday night, sending workers scrambling out into the cold.

Workers at Fiber Tech Industries told Spokane Valley firefighters that a machine used in the manufacturing of fiberglass-reinforced plywood caught fire shortly after 7:30 p.m. The flames spread to nearby boxes, but overhead sprinklers prevented the fire from spreading more.

Spokane Valley Fire arrived with at least eight trucks at the 3808 N. Sullivan Road complex and knocked down the fire, then turned fans on the warehouse to blow out acrid smoke. No one was injured.