New Documents Filed In Appeal From Convicted Wenatchee Thrift Store Owner

The owner of a Wenatchee veterans nonprofit is moving forward with an appeal of his conviction for fourth-degree assault. 

The new lawyer for 57-year-old Thelbert Lawson filed documents in Chelan County Superior Court Tuesday, claiming mishandling by his original attorney and improper inclusion of a previous conviction in his trial. 

The documents claim the improper admission of a First-Degree Theft conviction affected the jury's verdict, and that his lawyer should have objected to its inclusion. 

The documents also claim the credibility and veracity of a witness in his defense was called into question by the plaintiff.  

The documents further say that another witness was never called to testify, which left an egregious circumstance in which Lawson had to take the stand as his only defense. 

A jury in Chelan County District Court found Lawson guilty of unlawfully striking a woman for sexual gratification in 2021. 

His appeal will be heard in Superior Court this month. 

Lawson also faces a civil rights lawsuit from State Attorney General Bob Ferguson for discrimination and sexual harassment of at least 12 women at his Veterans Warehouse Thrift Stores in Wenatchee and Kennewick.  

The complaint says store employees were subjected to ongoing sexual harassment, including unwanted touching, sexual remarks and inappropriate requests. 

The lawsuit asks the court to permanently prohibit Lawson from working at his stores. 

Ferguson is also asking that Lawson pay damages to the people affected.