Thurston County man charged federally with unlawful weapons possession

Tacoma - A 47-year-old Thurston County man appeared today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma charged with unlawfully possessing firearms, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Michael Lee Draper is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior criminal convictions. In 2009, Draper was sentenced to 13 years in prison for unlawfully possessing firearms, including a stolen firearm. Prosecutors will ask the court to detain Draper pending trial at a hearing scheduled for Monday March 2, 2026.

According to records filed in the case, Draper was under investigation for theft from his former employer, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. On January 22, 2025, the Thurston County Sheriff's Office pursued a truck driven by Draper for reckless driving. The truck crashed through a fence on a rural property. A passenger in the truck was taken into custody at the scene.

Draper fled from police but was located by a Washington State Patrol surveillance aircraft and was taken into custody in a muddy, wooded ravine.

Investigators learned that Draper was under investigation for making fraudulent purchases using credit accounts of his former

employer. Some of the purchases were recovered in the back of the truck. Also in the truck were two polymer firearms - a handgun and an AR style rifle. Both guns are "ghost guns" - firearms without serial numbers that have been manufactured using a 3D printer. The truck also contained some drug paraphernalia and some suspected crystal methamphetamine.

Draper has been in state custody in Thurston County until he appeared on the federal charge today.

Unlawful possession of a firearm is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, no more than three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Law enforcement continues to investigate the theft charges related to Draper's employment with the Cowlitz Tribe. Draper currently faces five state counts of first-degree theft in Lewis County.

The case is being investigated by the Cowlitz Tribal Police, the Thurston County Sheriff's Department, and the FBI.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Victoria Cantore.