A Lewis County resident, Michael Lee Draper, 47, appeared in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on charges of unlawful possession of firearms. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd announced the federal charge on Tuesday. Draper is barred from owning firearms due to previous felony convictions, including a 2009 conviction that resulted in a 13-year prison sentence for possessing stolen firearms.
Prosecutors plan to request Draper’s detention pending trial at a hearing set for March 2, 2026.
According to court documents, Draper was being investigated for theft from his former employer, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. On January 22, 2026, officers from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office pursued a truck driven by Draper for reckless driving. The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed through a fence on rural property. A passenger was detained at the scene.
Draper fled but was found and arrested in a wooded ravine with assistance from a Washington State Patrol surveillance aircraft.
Investigators determined that Draper was under investigation for making fraudulent purchases using credit accounts belonging to his former employer. Some of these items were found in the back of his truck along with two polymer “ghost guns”—a handgun and an AR-style rifle—manufactured without serial numbers using a 3D printer. Authorities also found drug paraphernalia and suspected crystal methamphetamine inside the vehicle.
Draper had been held in state custody in Thurston County before appearing on federal charges.
If convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm, Draper faces up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines up to $250,000.
“The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” according to the statement released by prosecutors.
Law enforcement agencies continue their investigation into alleged thefts related to Draper’s employment with the Cowlitz Tribe. He currently faces five state counts of first-degree theft in Lewis County.
The case involves cooperation between Cowlitz Tribal Police, Thurston County Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Victoria Cantore is prosecuting the case.
