Suspect in Case of Missing Man Near Mineral Springs Pleads Guilty

The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office says Jorge Alcantara Gonzalez, a suspect in the disappearance and presumed murder of Ian Eckles, pled guilty to eight felonies Friday, but did not enter a plea regarding Eckles' disappearance.

The Sheriff's Office says prosecutors accepted pleas on these other crimes while delaying the homicide prosecution to ensure that Alcantara remains imprisoned and the community is protected while the case for Eckles’ murder is prepared.

Alcantara was sentenced to eight years in prison, but that could be extended pending the outcome of the murder trial.

Anyone who is hunting or recreating in the areas around the Mineral Springs is asked to look for signs of Eckles who went missing in the area.