Still awaiting trial in ‘Net Nanny’ sex sting, this Pasco man now faces more charges

A Pasco man awaiting his trial for 2017’s “Net Nanny Operation” is accused of stealing mail from a neighborhood on Christmas Eve.

Lucas F. Beach, 39, now has three active felony cases in Benton and Franklin counties.

He was released from the Benton County jail last week after posting bond on $50,000.

The bail amount was increased Wednesday when prosecutors added two charges stemming from the July 2017 online child sex sting in the Tri-Cities.

Beach now is charged in Benton County Superior Court with attempted second-degree rape of a child, commercial sex abuse of a minor and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

While his trial is set March 11, Beach is scheduled back in court Jan. 30 to get a new court-appointed attorney since his current lawyer is retiring.

In Franklin County Superior Court, Beach has April 3 trial dates on two cases: theft of mail and two counts of third-degree assault involving two Pasco police officers.

Christmas Eve mail thieves

The newest case stems from allegations that residents on Road 44 and Dougville Road saw Beach driving a truck Dec. 24 as a female passenger leaned out the window and took mail from mailboxes.

One man said his family had just returned from an out-of-town trip and emptied their box, when their mail carrier came by with a fresh delivery.

The man went out to pick up the new mail just after 2 p.m. and noticed a blonde woman reaching out of a Dodge Dakota’s passenger window into five mailboxes by his house.

After going inside to get his phone, the man signaled to his approaching son to follow the truck as it left their neighborhood, court documents said.

The man then found an envelope that fell to the ground during the theft. It was addressed to his son’s fiancée, and was from a Washington state government agency.

Franklin County sheriff’s deputies could not determine how much mail was taken, but they got security camera footage from nearby homes to help identify the suspect vehicle, documents said.

Also, another person who was outside when the truck drove by described the driver and picked Beach from a photo lineup of six men, court documents said.

Deputies linked the Dodge Dakota to one of Beach’s relatives, and discovered that he is a suspect in other mail thefts and frauds in Pasco using the same truck, documents said.

His felony charge is for the theft of mail addressed to three or more different addresses, with a minimum of 10 pieces of mail.

‘Net Nanny’ sex sting

Beach was one of 26 men arrested in July 2017 in an operation targeting would-be perpetrators looking for sex with minors through online advertisements.

Beach said he was OK with the girl’s young age, was hoping to have sex with her and her friend, and admitted that it all sounded too good to be true, court documents said.

When arrested, Beach claimed he planned to advise the runaway to go back home and really was there to meet a friend, documents said.

Beach is one of more than a dozen cases still working its way through the court system 1 1/2 years after the sting.

Six weeks before his 2017 arrest on the attempted child rape, Pasco officers went to Beach’s home to arrest him on a warrant for a probation violation but he had barricaded himself inside, court documents said.

When he finally came out, he resisted arrest and allegedly tried to get Officer Daniel Ward’s pistol and removing his radio from his belt.

Beach continued to ignore orders until Ward punched him in the mouth. Documents said Beach then spit blood on Ward and Officer Branden Upton.

This story was originally published January 27, 2019 at 11:24 AM.