Former prostitute: Hecht threatened me
Editor's note: This story contains graphic sexual content some many find disturbing.
TACOMA, Wash. -- A former male prostitute told a jury that Pierce County Superior Court Judge Michael Hecht threatened to kill him if he told anyone about their sexual relationship.
"I think the first time was in his vehicle," said Joseph Hesketh.
The accused judge insisted he has never even met the man before. But Hesketh claims they not only met, but were intimate over a four-year period.
"He was a client," Hesketh said.
Hesketh went on to tell the jury Hecht was a regular who was seen circling Antique Row - a place known as a gathering spot for male prostitutes - on a daily basis.
He said Hecht paid him to perform a sex act on him at least eight to 12 times, usually in Hecht's Tacoma law office.
Hesketh, a self-admitted heroin addict, said his prostitution clients paid for his drug habit, and his sex-for-money exchange with Hecht began when Hecht propositioned him.
"I asked him for some spare change, and he asked if I'd be interested in making some money. And I said, 'Yeah,'" he told the jury.
Hesketh testified the relationship ended in 2001, but in August of last year - after Hecht was elected to the bench - the judge confronted him on a street corner and allegedly threatened him.
"(Hecht said) 'Are you talking about me? Are you talking about me?' I said, 'I don't know what you're talking about.' He said, 'You'd better not be talking about me. If I find out you're talking about me I'm going to kill you,'" Hesketh said.
Hesketh told the jury he had, in fact, been talking about Hecht. He said the son Judge Sergio Armijo, who lost the 2008 election to Hecht, approached him and asked him about Hecht.
Hecht claims the personal vendetta against him stems from his victory against Armijo. Armijo's son, who had worked his father's campaign, was also the private investigator who alerted police in the case. Hecht said he's confident he'll prevail in court.
Along with the details of his relationship with Hecht, Hesketh revealed in court that he had taken heroin Thursday morning and at noon -- about an hour before he took the stand. He also admitted he took heroin prior to talking to police investigators.
Hecht has been charged with felony harassment and a misdemeanor charge of patronizing a prostitute. He accused of paying one man for sex multiple times and threatening another man who talked about having sex with him.
On Wednesday another male prostitute testified against Hecht.
"I would masturbate or he would perform oral sex on me," said John Marx.
According to court documents, Marx and Hecht engaged in oral sex about eight to 10 times, and Hecht paid him about $20 or $30 after each of these encounters.
Baristas and residents also testified, stating they saw Hecht cruise the neighborhood, picking up men.
"What the defendant didn't want anybody know is that for years and years, he had been cruising downtown Tacoma and picking up male prostitutes," said Asst. Attorney General John Hillman.
Hecht has been on paid leave since March.
Even if he's not convicted at this trial, he still faces charges brought up by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct.
TACOMA, Wash. -- A former male prostitute told a jury that Pierce County Superior Court Judge Michael Hecht threatened to kill him if he told anyone about their sexual relationship.
"I think the first time was in his vehicle," said Joseph Hesketh.
The accused judge insisted he has never even met the man before. But Hesketh claims they not only met, but were intimate over a four-year period.
"He was a client," Hesketh said.
Hesketh went on to tell the jury Hecht was a regular who was seen circling Antique Row - a place known as a gathering spot for male prostitutes - on a daily basis.
He said Hecht paid him to perform a sex act on him at least eight to 12 times, usually in Hecht's Tacoma law office.
Hesketh, a self-admitted heroin addict, said his prostitution clients paid for his drug habit, and his sex-for-money exchange with Hecht began when Hecht propositioned him.
"I asked him for some spare change, and he asked if I'd be interested in making some money. And I said, 'Yeah,'" he told the jury.
Hesketh testified the relationship ended in 2001, but in August of last year - after Hecht was elected to the bench - the judge confronted him on a street corner and allegedly threatened him.
"(Hecht said) 'Are you talking about me? Are you talking about me?' I said, 'I don't know what you're talking about.' He said, 'You'd better not be talking about me. If I find out you're talking about me I'm going to kill you,'" Hesketh said.
Hesketh told the jury he had, in fact, been talking about Hecht. He said the son Judge Sergio Armijo, who lost the 2008 election to Hecht, approached him and asked him about Hecht.
Hecht claims the personal vendetta against him stems from his victory against Armijo. Armijo's son, who had worked his father's campaign, was also the private investigator who alerted police in the case. Hecht said he's confident he'll prevail in court.
Along with the details of his relationship with Hecht, Hesketh revealed in court that he had taken heroin Thursday morning and at noon -- about an hour before he took the stand. He also admitted he took heroin prior to talking to police investigators.
Hecht has been charged with felony harassment and a misdemeanor charge of patronizing a prostitute. He accused of paying one man for sex multiple times and threatening another man who talked about having sex with him.
On Wednesday another male prostitute testified against Hecht.
"I would masturbate or he would perform oral sex on me," said John Marx.
According to court documents, Marx and Hecht engaged in oral sex about eight to 10 times, and Hecht paid him about $20 or $30 after each of these encounters.
Baristas and residents also testified, stating they saw Hecht cruise the neighborhood, picking up men.
"What the defendant didn't want anybody know is that for years and years, he had been cruising downtown Tacoma and picking up male prostitutes," said Asst. Attorney General John Hillman.
Hecht has been on paid leave since March.
Even if he's not convicted at this trial, he still faces charges brought up by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct.