Judge charged with patronizing male prostitute
TACOMA - The Washington state attorney general's office has filed a charge of felony harassment and a misdemeanor charge of patronizing a prostitute against Pierce County Superior Court Judge Michael Hecht.
Prosecutors allege that Hecht threatened to kill a prostitute on Aug. 30, shortly after Hecht was elected to the judgeship but before he was sworn in.
According to court papers filed Friday, the male prostitute told Tacoma police that Hecht had paid him for sex in the past.
The prostitute said Hecht began paying him for oral sex when he was still a minor, and it always took place after business hours in Hecht's law office on North Pearl Street, according to court documents.
The prostitute then left the area for a few years. When he returned, he said he often saw Hecht "cruising" an area of Tacoma known to be frequented by male prostitutes, court papers allege.
During an encounter in this area on Aug. 30, Hecht warned the prostitute not to talk about him and threatened to kill the prostitute if he did, court papers say.
"Are you talking about me? You better not be talking about me. I'll kill you," Hecht allegedly screamed at the prostitute, according to court papers. The confrontation was witnessed by others, documents say.
The confrontation took place after the election, when Hecht was leading in the returns for the Superior Court judgeship, court documents say.
In the second charge, prosecutors allege Hecht paid a different prostitute to engage in sex.
According to court papers, the second prostitute said that he and Hecht had engaged in oral sex about eight to 10 times, and that Hecht paid him about $20 or $30 after each of these encounters
The felony harassment charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $5,000 fine or both. The misdemeanor charge of patronizing a prostitute is punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine or both.
Earlier, Pierce County Prosecutor Gerald Horne said his staff wouldn't try cases before Hecht because he doesn't want to risk any criminal cases.
And seven attorneys, in an unprecedented move, have demanded that Judge Michael Hecht either publicly deny or admit to the allegations.
Hecht has only commented through his attorney, Wayne Fricke, who vehemently denies the accusations.
"This is going to trial before a jury," the lawyer added. "We're confident they're going to make the right decision and exonerate him."
But the attorneys said they're not satisfied.
"The seven of us are asking the judge to personally say he did not do the things," said Sal Mungia, incoming president of the Washington Bar Association. "It has nothing to do with Judge Hecht as an individual. It has to do with what the public expects from our officials."
Fricke said he has prohibited the judge from publicly commenting on the issue, citing ethics. He said the allegations are nothing more than a political vendetta.
If Hecht is convicted and disbarred, technically, he could still be a judge. Only the judicial conduct commission has the power to remove him from the bench, or voters could vote him out in the next election.
In August, Hecht unseated long-time Judge Sergio Armijo. Fricke claims one of Armijo's associates took allegations to the media.
Prosecutors allege that Hecht threatened to kill a prostitute on Aug. 30, shortly after Hecht was elected to the judgeship but before he was sworn in.
According to court papers filed Friday, the male prostitute told Tacoma police that Hecht had paid him for sex in the past.
The prostitute said Hecht began paying him for oral sex when he was still a minor, and it always took place after business hours in Hecht's law office on North Pearl Street, according to court documents.
The prostitute then left the area for a few years. When he returned, he said he often saw Hecht "cruising" an area of Tacoma known to be frequented by male prostitutes, court papers allege.
During an encounter in this area on Aug. 30, Hecht warned the prostitute not to talk about him and threatened to kill the prostitute if he did, court papers say.
"Are you talking about me? You better not be talking about me. I'll kill you," Hecht allegedly screamed at the prostitute, according to court papers. The confrontation was witnessed by others, documents say.
The confrontation took place after the election, when Hecht was leading in the returns for the Superior Court judgeship, court documents say.
In the second charge, prosecutors allege Hecht paid a different prostitute to engage in sex.
According to court papers, the second prostitute said that he and Hecht had engaged in oral sex about eight to 10 times, and that Hecht paid him about $20 or $30 after each of these encounters
The felony harassment charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $5,000 fine or both. The misdemeanor charge of patronizing a prostitute is punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine or both.
Earlier, Pierce County Prosecutor Gerald Horne said his staff wouldn't try cases before Hecht because he doesn't want to risk any criminal cases.
And seven attorneys, in an unprecedented move, have demanded that Judge Michael Hecht either publicly deny or admit to the allegations.
Hecht has only commented through his attorney, Wayne Fricke, who vehemently denies the accusations.
"This is going to trial before a jury," the lawyer added. "We're confident they're going to make the right decision and exonerate him."
But the attorneys said they're not satisfied.
"The seven of us are asking the judge to personally say he did not do the things," said Sal Mungia, incoming president of the Washington Bar Association. "It has nothing to do with Judge Hecht as an individual. It has to do with what the public expects from our officials."
Fricke said he has prohibited the judge from publicly commenting on the issue, citing ethics. He said the allegations are nothing more than a political vendetta.
If Hecht is convicted and disbarred, technically, he could still be a judge. Only the judicial conduct commission has the power to remove him from the bench, or voters could vote him out in the next election.
In August, Hecht unseated long-time Judge Sergio Armijo. Fricke claims one of Armijo's associates took allegations to the media.
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