LYNNWOOD—In the early hours of August 14, 2025, Joshua De La Cruz, the 37-year-old brother of Lynnwood lawmaker City Councilwoman Derica Escamilla, was arrested on a charge of third-degree theft following an alleged incident involving stolen packages and mail from a residential porch. The case, handled by the Lynnwood Police Department, has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest within the city’s judicial and prosecutorial systems, given De La Cruz’s familial ties to a sitting council member.

According to a police report authored by Officer Jerome Riener, the incident unfolded just before dawn when officers responded to a 911 call from resident Roman Barlet at approximately 5:13 a.m. Barlet reported that two females and a male had stolen a package from the front door of hi

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