PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for failing to register as a sex offender, the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced.
Paul Aaron McDonald Jr., 35, was found guilty by a Clallam County jury Aug. 3, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney James Kennedy said.
McDonald was sentenced Aug. 9 to 25 months in prison and three years of community custody. It was his third failing-to-register offense, court papers said.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said McDonald failed to check in for homeless registration day June 6, according to the affidavit for probable cause.
Based on his 24 prior criminal convictions, including burglary, theft, trafficking stolen property, drug possession and one conviction of second-degree child rape, McDonald faced a presumptive sentencing range of 43 to 57 months, Kennedy said.
Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brian Coughenour deviated from the standard range, citing transportation problems as the mitigating factor, according to the minutes of the sentencing hearing.
At trial, McDonald offered uncorroborated testimony that transportation woes led to his failure to report to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office during normal business hours as required June 6, Kennedy said.
Kennedy asked for a sentence within the standard range, noting that McDonald did not work or attend school or have any other obligations that would have interfered with his ability to check in.
It took the jury 28 minutes to reach a guilty verdict, according to the trial transcript.
Defense attorney Alex Stalker of Clallam Public Defender filed a motion to appeal.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsula dailynews.com.
