Pasco Coffee Stand Owner Jailed in Pierce County on Molestation Charges
A 60-year-old owner of a Pasco expresso stand is in the Pierce County jail, facing at least a dozen counts of sexual molestation and other charges. The man owns Hot Beanz Espresso at 2517 West Sylvester St.
The man owns Hot Beanz Espresso on Sylvester St. in Pasco
According to MyNorthwest.com and Yahoo News, Laurence Lee Rawdon (listed at 60 by MyNorthwest, com, 59 by Yahoo News) was arrested heading into the weekend. He is facing 12 charges of child molestation, rape and providing drugs to a minor child.
Buckley, WA Police (located in Pierce County about 44 miles south of Seattle) began to investigate Rawdon after the adolescent teen girl's mother began to suspect he was molesting her.
"She installed hidden surveillance cameras in her home in October of 2023. According to Yahoo News:
The woman provided Buckley Police with two USB drives containing 13 videos dated between Sept. 20 and Oct. 12, 2023.
The affidavit of probable cause with the charges filed Jan. 25 said the videos showed Rawdon inappropriately touching the girl and sharing marijuana with her. The victim told interviewers the sexual abuse was frequent and had been happening for some time."
According to sources, Rawdon remains in the Pierce County jail, his bail has been set at $750,000.
The mother had obtained a court order in October banning Rawdon from having any contact with the girl, but according to court documents, he continued to correspond with her via TikTok, requesting she send him photos of herself. Reports did not indicate how long the alleged molestation had been taking place.