Man could face life sentence for robbery

A man accused of taking two 17-year-olds into a wooded area and robbing them at gunpoint has pleaded guilty.

Triston H. Beach, 22, pleaded guilty last week to robbery and to possession of more than 3 ounces of marijuana, both felonies.

The charges stem from September, when a teen contacted police regarding an alleged robbery. He told police he had posted on the messaging app Snapchat to request a ride to Post Falls for him and a friend. Beach reportedly agreed to pick up the pair in Rathdrum. Three people who were unknown to the teens were also in Beach’s vehicle when he arrived, according to court records.

Beach reportedly pulled over on Atlas Road and asked the teens to get out of the car. The teens told police that Beach bent down near the driver’s side front tire; when he stood, he had a pistol, which he allegedly pointed at the teens.

The teens said they were told to walk into a wooded area with their hands above their heads.

Beach reportedly told the teens to empty their pockets and lay face-down on the ground. The minors told police Beach took their belongings, including electronics, a machete and a knife with built-in brass knuckles.

When police contacted Beach, he said he was in Montana visiting family at the time of the alleged incident and planned to remain there until Sept. 11, court documents said. Beach also told police he did not own a gun.

However, court documents said automated license plate recognition technology detected Beach’s vehicle throughout Kootenai County during the period when he said he was out of state, including in the vicinity of the alleged crime.

Police located Beach driving his car westbound on Seltice Way on Sept. 11. Beach allegedly drove over the speed limit and “almost caused a collision with a semi trailer,” court documents said.

Beach reportedly pulled into a dirt lot and began to spin doughnuts until an officer approached with weapon drawn. Police detained Beach at the scene, along with a juvenile passenger who was later released to her parents.

Upon searching Beach’s vehicle, police reportedly found marijuana and other paraphernalia, as well as a realistic-looking Airsoft gun and a knife with built-in brass knuckles, court documents said.

Beach reportedly told police the teens initially contacted him to buy marijuana, not just for a ride to Post Falls.

Police said Beach admitted to robbing the teens in order to get money to pay off people in Spokane who were threatening him, court documents said.

He also told police that he chose the teens because one of them had “molested” his girlfriend, according to court documents.

Beach was originally charged with two counts of robbery, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. However, in a pretrial settlement offer, the state dropped one of the robbery charges and both aggravated assault charges.

In Idaho, robbery is punishable by a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, as well as up to a $50,000 fine.

Possession of more than 3 ounces of marijuana is punishable by up to five years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

Beach is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 5.