SPOKANE, Wash. — A Spokane County man will spend nearly a decade in prison after pleading guilty to a series of break-ins targeting two homes and a business, according to the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s office.
Sean T. Ponder, 40, entered guilty pleas on August 18, 2026, in Spokane County Superior Court to two counts of residential burglary, one count of second-degree commercial burglary, one count of first-degree theft, one count of first-degree trafficking in stolen property, and one count of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
Judge Michelle Szambelan sentenced Ponder to 116 months in prison—the maximum under Washington State guidelines. He burglarized homes in Chattaroy and Spokane Valley, stealing laptops and jewelry, and broke into a business on East Trent Avenue where he stole a firearm.
Ponder’s 18 prior felony convictions, including four burglary convictions, led to the maximum sentence. Victims told the court Ponder took more than their belongings—he took their sense of safety and security.
The Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s office argued for the maximum sentence, while the defense requested a Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative. Judge Szambelan rejected the alternative based on Ponder’s criminal history.