Witness tampering charges dropped against former Liberty Lake police officer

Witness tampering charges filed against a former Liberty Lake police officer were recently dismissed because two of the three victims in the case could not be located “despite diligent efforts of law enforcement,” according to documents.

Michael Marroquin, 43, was charged with three counts of felony witness tampering in March and resigned from the department after an incident to which he responded last year. Spokane County Superior Court Judge Timothy Fennessy dismissed the charges Oct. 26.

The charges stemmed from the investigation into an altercation at First Liberty Apartments, 25000 E. Hawkstone Loop, early Aug. 18, 2022, according to a Liberty Lake police news release and court documents. Officers collected statements from witnesses and victims who reported a felony assault, burglary and other possible crimes, the release said.

Marroquin and his partner, identified as 43-year-old Kelly Jenson in court documents, then arrived and took over, according to police. Marroquin and Jenson cleared the scene shortly after, but no arrests were made and no written reports were completed.

A Liberty Lake detective assigned to the case later charged numerous suspects in the case with crimes, including residential burglary, assault, theft, reckless endangerment and making false statements to police, according to documents.

When police officials learned no case had initially been completed, the department reviewed officer body camera footage, the release said. That led to an internal investigation.

Liberty Lake police also asked an outside agency, the Airway Heights Police Department, to conduct an investigation to determine whether any policies or state laws were violated. Marroquin was placed on administrative leave during the investigations and resigned shortly after the start of the investigations on Sept. 22, 2022.

Airway Heights police determined Marroquin committed three counts of tampering with a witness and Jenson violated Liberty Lake police policies. The department said it took “appropriate disciplinary action” against Jenson, but did not disclose the punishment.

According to documents, Marroquin persuaded three victims in the altercation to testify falsely and withhold information by implying one of the victims would go to jail on a warrant if he testified as a witness. Marroquin stopped one of the victims from speaking when he was ready to provide a statement, the documents allege.

It’s unclear why he allegedly tried to stop the victims from testifying.

Spokane County deputy prosecutor Patrick Schaff wrote in the motion to dismiss that the two victims the state could not locate are “necessary witnesses in this case.” One of the victims is believed to be in the Las Vegas area.

“Due to the nature of this case and the status of these individuals as the alleged tampered witnesses, the State does not believe that material witness warrants are appropriate,” Schaff wrote.

Schaff wrote he does not believe a continuance would result in the victims’ presence at trial. The charges can be refiled within 10 years after the alleged offenses, or prior to Aug. 18, 2032.

Voicemail messages seeking comment from Liberty Lake police officials were not immediately returned.