Washington Man Sentenced to 168 Months’ Imprisonment for Crime Spree Involving Multiple Shootings and a Robbery in Eastern Washington

Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Dylen Joseph Swan, age 22 of Inchelium, Washington, has been sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country and Robbery Affecting Commerce. United States District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 168 months in federal custody to be followed by three years of supervised release. Swan also was ordered to pay $21,515.75 in restitution. In imposing the sentence, Judge Rice noted the seriousness of Swan’s crimes. 

According to court documents and information disclosed during the sentencing hearing, Swan orchestrated a three-day crime spree involving a car chase, at least two shootings, and an armed robbery in August 2021. Swan saw his first victim (hereafter Victim 1) outside the Twelve Tribes Casino in Omak, Washington during the early morning hours of August 19, 2021.  Swan then drove up to Victim 1, called him over to his vehicle, yelled profanity at him, and shot Victim 1 in the stomach. A passenger inside the car and eyewitnesses reported that Swan shot Victim 1 with a red pistol.  Victim 1 was rushed to the hospital, where he needed two full bags of blood transfusions to survive, as well as multiple hours of surgery to repair his shredded intestines and bladder. Doctors were unable to remove the bullet from Victim 1’s stomach, and Victim 1 lives with these injuries to this day.

This was just the beginning of Swan’s criminal activities. The passenger inside Swan’s car (hereafter Victim 2) stated that Swan threatened her at gunpoint, directing Victim 2 to stay with him after the shooting. Specifically, Swan pointed the gun at Victim 2 and demanded that she “go with him or else.” The very next day, Swan drove Victim 2 to the Rosauers Supermarket in downtown Spokane. Swan went inside and grabbed multiple items from the store, including toilet paper and a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.  When the store manager attempted to confront him, Swan removed the same red pistol he used to shoot Victim 1.  Swan then pointed the red pistol at the manager’s head. Fearing for their safety, the manager let Swan leave, all while Swan continued to point the firearm at the manager. After the robbery, Defendant went to a Walmart, bought red spray paint, and spray painted the car he used during his crimes, all in an effort to disguise the car from law enforcement.

The next day, Swan’s crime spree finally came to an end, but not before Swan harmed yet another victim. On August 21, 2021, Swan went to a McDonalds, located near 1625 West 4th Avenue in downtown Spokane. There, Swan pointed the same red pistol at yet another victim (Victim 3).  Swan demanded money, and when Victim 3 victim reached for an airsoft gun to try to protect himself, Swan shot Victim 3 in the arm. 

When Spokane Police responded to the scene of the shooting, officers spotted Swan’s car speeding away. During the ensuing chase, Swan and other people with him swerved dangerously and raced through controlled intersections, cutting off other cars. During the pursuit, the red pistol Swan used to shoot Victims 1 and 3 was thrown from the car.  The red gun, however, was later recovered by Spokane Police. Ultimately, the pursuit ended when Swan’s vehicle crashed into another car next to a Spokane residence.

Swan ultimately was prosecuted in Spokane County Superior Court for the shooting of Victim 3 outside McDonalds.  The remaining charges were prosecuted in federal court.

“I’m grateful for our incredible law enforcement team, who devote their lives to protecting our community,” said United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref, the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of Washington. U.S. Attorney Waldref further stated, “Today’s sentence demonstrates the seriousness of Mr. Swan’s actions and dangerousness he presented on the Colville Indian Reservation as well as in downtown Spokane. He shot two people and robbed a grocery store at gunpoint.  Mr. Swan’s dangerous crime spree lasted three days, and the victims will live with the serious physical and emotional toll of these crimes for the rest of their lives.”

The Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Jarred-Michael Erickson, said, “It is of utmost importance to the Colville Tribes to keep our community safe and secure. Perpetrators who commit heinous acts of violence such as this must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We are proud that our own Colville Tribal Police assisted with this arrest and conviction, led by Colville Police Chief Steve Brown and Detectives Jordan McNulty and David LaBounty, and we greatly appreciate the efforts of our partners in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, the FBI, and the Spokane Police department. We especially commend the work of the prosecutor in the case, Richard Barker, First Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Washington.”

“Over three days, Mr. Swan shot at least two people, resulting in serious injuries, stole items while holding a store manager at gunpoint, damaged a vehicle, and fled law enforcement, endangering multiple drivers,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “As illustrated by his crime spree, Mr. Swan was a danger to the community. I’m grateful for the multiple law enforcement agencies who conducted this comprehensive investigation resulting in today’s sentencing. The result will be a safer community.”

“As we see an increase in violent crimes across our State and City, the Spokane Police Department is grateful for the relationship we have with the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” stated Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl. “Their efforts helped our community hold a violent offender accountable for his actions.  The collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Spokane Police Department strengthens our ability to create the safe and healthy community we all want to live in.”

This case was investigated by the Colville Tribal Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Spokane Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Richard R. Barker, the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.

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