SEATTLE-WASHINGTON COMPUTER STOLEN FROM UNIVERSITY RESIDENTSThe UW Daily OnlineDetails emerge on McCarty robbery

By Brian Turner
May 27, 2005

Two teenage brothers were charged late Wednesday with robbing two McCarty Hall residents after entering their room, putting them in a choke hold and wrapping them in duct tape.

Charges may also be filed against a third juvenile who was implicated in the crime after the two brothers confessed to committing the robbery, according to court documents.

Joseph Tramel Gardner, an 18-year-old Ballard High School student, and Dorsey Omar Gardner, 16, are in custody while pending first-degree burglary charges, said Dan Donahoe, King County prosecutor's spokesman.

Dorsey Gardner is also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after he was arrested with an unloaded handgun on May 20 at Terry Hall, said Ray Wittmier, assistant UW police chief.

The brothers will be arraigned on June 2, according to charging papers.

Joseph Gardner has several felony convictions, including second-degree vehicle theft, third-degree assault and possession of narcotics, according to court records. Dorsey Gardner has three felony convictions.

Neither of the defendants are UW students. When they were arrested at Terry Hall, they were visiting a friend, said Wittmier.

Some of the items allegedly stolen by the defendants include a laptop, a computer monitor, an Apple iPod, credit cards, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant and a digital camera.

The stolen property from the victims has not been recovered. Wittmier said the defendants sold the items shortly after allegedly robbing the victims.

On the evening of the May 16 robbery, the victims -- both UW freshmen -- were working on their computers while the door was open.

According to charging papers, two men, one of them allegedly being Dorsey Gardner, entered the room and put each victim in a choke hold. Joseph Gardner allegedly followed behind and shut the door, according to court records.

One of the victims was forced to the ground, his torso was wrapped in duct tape and then a belt was cinched tight over the duct tape. One of the suspects allegedly threatened the victim and said "We've got knives and if you don't stay quiet, we'll make sure you do."

The other victim was forced to sit in a chair while he was allegedly held in a choke hold by Dorsey Gardner. According to court documents, the victim almost fell unconscious.

Then Joseph Gardner allegedly bound his arms and legs to the chair with duct tape. He was also reportedly punched the victim in the face at least three times.

One of the suspects demanded a bank account number from the victim. The suspect stated that he had a "9 mm" in the car if he wasn't given the correct bank number, according to charging papers.

After the victims were bound, the suspects allegedly stole the items from the room and quickly left the building, according to court documents.

The defendants were later identified using a composite sketch based on a description of the suspects given by the victims' neighbors in the next room.

When the defendants were arrested in Terry Hall four days later, two other men accompanying the defendants were arrested on trespassing charges. When searching Dorsey Gardner, police seized a 9 mm handgun and a cell phone that had been reported stolen earlier that night by a Terry Hall resident.

Charging papers indicate that the gun found on Gardner was loaded. Wittmier said yesterday that UW police detectives found the gun unloaded but a separate bag of bullets were found in Gardner's pocket.

UW police hope charges can be filed on the third person who allegedly assisted in the robbery. The suspect is not in custody, but police have identified him.

"We have him for criminal trespass in Terry Hall," Wittmier said. "That's okay, but not the strongest [charge]."