Bail was set at $25,000 for a 20-year-old man charged with perjury and false reporting after his report to the police sparked a 114-person search and rescue operation for an AWOL soldier who had reportedly tried to fake his own death. 

A probable cause statement from Port Townsend Police Detective Ash Moore stated that Ryen Bell, 20, from Bonney Lake, admitted he had prior knowledge that his cousin, 19-year-old Army soldier Devin Schmidt, planned to fake his own death and “disappear.” 

“Bell explained that he attempted to deter Schmidt from enacting his plan, but he could not be deterred,” wrote Moore in the probable cause statement. “Bell stated that he went along with his plan because he is a loyal lifelong friend and he knew that Schmidt was going to do it with or without him.”

Schmidt sent a suicidal video to his family on Dec. 18. The background of the video was the high bluffs at Fort Worden. Police say Bell then drove to Port Townsend and found Schmidt’s cell phone and Army dog tags at the scene. Talking to Schmidt’s father, Bell urged him to call police, which he did, triggering the search, Moore said.

The next day, a full-scale Search and Rescue mission took place, as law enforcement and the U.S. Navy and Army searched for Schmidt, using boats, a helicopter, a plane and a drone. Moore told the court Bell helped searchers but did not confess the plan until late in the day.

“The costs are going to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said prosecutor James Kennedy during Bell’s initial hearing on Dec. 20. 

Bell was charged with perjury in the second degree with the intent to mislead a public servant, making false or misleading statements to a public servant and false reporting. 

Defense attorney Nat Jacob argued at Bell’s hearing that he made the false statements with a “misplaced sense of loyalty to his cousin.” 

Family members stated to the Leader that this is a mental health case, for both Schmidt and Bell. 

Jacob argued that Bell has no prior criminal history and therefore should be released without bail. 

But Kennedy argued that it was reported that Bell had made plans with Schmidt to go to Mexico after they successfully pulled off Schmidt’s plan.  

Superior court judge Keith Harper stated that what concerned the court was the suggestion that Schmidt and Bell were planning to go to Mexico. 

“That suggests to me that you may very likely not appear for court when you’re supposed to be here and that you may abscond,” Harper said. 

Harper took the state’s suggestion and set the bail at $25,000. He also required Bell to turn over his passport to the state upon release and that he have no further contact with Schmidt. 

Bell’s arraignment was set for 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 27 at the Jefferson County Superior Court.