Two cousins are scheduled to appear in court Wednesday on allegations they took cash and medical marijuana from a Kennewick hotel patron in a planned robbery.
Jaren Michael Turner, 18, of Richland, was charged Friday in Benton County Superior Court with first-degree robbery.
Jessien Malik Perry, 21, a transient, was charged the day before with first-degree robbery along with allegations he was armed with a .22-caliber revolver during the crime.
Police and court documents said that Eric Erdman was robbed Sept. 11 while he smoked marijuana with Kathryn Wattenburger inside a car in a Kennewick church parking lot. The two met online and arranged the meeting.
Erdman, of Kennewick, was staying at the nearby Best Western Hotel on West 27th Avenue after a fire at his home, documents said.
He was in the car when two men -- later identified as Perry and Turner -- confronted him.
Turner first punched Erdman in the face, then Perry pulled out a gun and told the victim to put his hands in the air, court documents said.
Turner got into the back seat and put Erdman in a headlock while Perry took his wallet, cellphone and backpack, which reportedly contained the drugs, police and documents said.
Turner allegedly released his hold on Erdman and told him to leave. Erdman ran from the area and called 911.
Officers questioned Wattenburger, who said Perry arranged with her to set up Erdman to rob him of his marijuana, court documents said. However, she denied knowing that Perry was going to use a gun, documents said.
Perry later was arrested at Pasco's Motel 6 on Oregon Street, where police found Erdman's belongings and the gun. And on Tuesday, Turner turned himself in to Kennewick police.
A criminal case against Wattenburger had not been filed as of Friday afternoon, and prosecutors couldn't be reached to see if charges are pending. The 20-year-old Burbank woman is reportedly dating Turner.
Turner is in the Benton County jail on $50,000 bail, while Perry is being held on $100,000,
Perry was sentenced last December to two years and seven months in prison for sending a 16-year-old girl to perform partially nude and to have sex with customers as part of his exotic dancer business, called 509's Finest.
He received credit for being in custody since his March 2009 arrest for sexual exploitation of a minor.














