Ellensburg Man Receives 5+ Years In Prison For Armed Burglary

A man who broke into an Ellensburg home while armed with two large knives last summer has been sentenced to over five years in prison.

The Ellensburg Daily Record reports the 68-month sentence was handed down to 53-year-old Kenneth Shoptaw by Judge Chris Herion in Kittitas County Superior Court this week.

Get our free mobile app

In February, Shoptaw pled guilty to charges of second-degree burglary for breaking into a residence on Lauderdale Lane in July, 2024.

Shoptaw was arrested shortly after the burglary occurred when he was spotted crawling through a field near the residence wearing camouflage clothing.

Authorities used a drone to locate Shoptaw after the homeowner called police to report that he was trespassing on his property.

Court documents indicate Shoptaw told investigators he'd been out for a walk and hadn't burglarized the residence, but items which had been taken from the home were located nearby inside a bag that belonged to Shoptaw.

Shoptaw had initially been charged with first-degree burglary but struck a plea agreement with prosecutors for the lesser charge.