Spokane police obtain search warrant for inmate’s feces

The Spokane Police Department has taken the unusual step of filing a search warrant to seize and examine the feces of a Spokane County Jail inmate believed to have swallowed a piece of evidence.

Police obtained a search warrant to allow them to X-ray David Ramos’ stomach to locate a ring he said he swallowed, but he was uncooperative and jail staff would have had to use force to get him to comply, court documents said. As an alternative, investigators now want access to his feces.

Court documents state that Ramos has been held in a “dry” cell - one without running water or a flush toilet.

“Therefore, the defendant will be held in solitary confinement so his feces can be searched and the evidence recovered,” court documents state.

Ramos, 30, is being held on $500,000 bond on charges of second-degree rape, first-degree robbery and first-degree kidnapping. He is accused of abducting his girlfriend, shoving her in a car trunk and raping her.

The victim told police that Ramos stole money and a wedding ring from her. Police found the money, but said in court documents that Ramos swallowed something as he was being booked into jail.

Ramos’ refusal to allow the X-ray is not the first time he’s been uncooperative. He refused to come to court for nearly a week until Spokane County Superior Court Judge Greg Sypolt signed what is known as a “drag order” authorizing jail staff to use force to get him to court.

While in court, Ramos was so disruptive that Sypolt ordered that he be gagged. However, jail staff said they had nothing to gag him with.