FBI: Racist doll collector beat child, caught with ammo

A convicted felon and alleged member of the Aryan Brotherhood accused of beating a 12-year-old boy now faces federal firearms charges.

Federal prosecutors in Tacoma contend police found shotgun and handgun ammunition amongst James T. Sapp’s doll collection while searching his house after allegations that he choked a boy who approached him after Sapp’s dogs killed his chickens.

According to federal charging documents unsealed Wednesday, Sapp is an avowed member of the Aryan Brotherhood, a violent, racist prison gang with national reach. Investigators contend he has tattoos showing his allegiance to the gang and has bragged to law officers about keeping in contact with his prison “brothers.”

Federal prosecutors now claim Sapp, 45, was caught with dozens of rounds of ammunition when police searched his Ridgefield home. Sapp was previously sentenced to 16 months in prison after pleading guilty to reduced charges related to the attack on the child.

In April 2010, the 12-year-old went to Sapp’s home to confront him with allegations that Sapp’s dogs had killed his chickens, an FBI special agent told the court.

Sapp, who was asleep in his truck, woke, grabbed the boy by the neck and began cursing at him, the agent continued. Tearful, the boy returned home and spoke with a relative there.

That man, accompanied by a friend, confronted Sapp about the boy’s allegations. According to the agent’s account, Sapp called the man a “stupid (expletive) Mexican” and punched him in the face, breaking his nose.

Clark County deputies searched Sapp’s home days later and found a shotgun shell and several rounds of pistol ammunition in a room full of dolls, the FBI agent told the court. Sapp’s wife told investigators her husband collects dolls.

Investigators also claim to have recovered a second box of ammunition from a detached garage.

Writing the court, the FBI agent noted that Sapp, during an earlier arrest, told Clark County Jail staff that he refused to be housed with any non-white arrestees. The agent went on to say Sapp in 2005 told a Gresham, Ore., police officer that he has stayed in touch with Aryan Brotherhood members since previously being released from prison.

Sapp, the agent continued, also told the officer he served a prison term after he tortured and killed a man at age 17. The FBI found no record supporting Sapp’s claim.

While Sapp initially faced hate crime and assault charges in Clark County Superior Court, he ultimately pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of riot and drug offenses. He is now charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition; Sapp was convicted of a felony drug offense in 2006.

Sapp is expected to appear in U.S. District Court on Monday for an preliminary hearing. He is currently in custody.

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Levi Pulkkinen can be reached at 206-448-8348 or levipulkkinen@seattlepi.com. Follow Levi on Twitter at twitter.com/levipulk.