PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man who allegedly made threats to two Clallam County jail workers has pleaded guilty to felony harassment, the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s office announced.
Paul Ray Taylor, 46, was sentenced Tuesday to 60 days in jail with credit for time served. A second harassment charge was dismissed in exchange for the guilty plea.
A Peninsula Behavioral Health clinician who works at the jail told investigators that Taylor threatened to find a gun, return to the jail and “open fire on all law enforcement that he could shoot and then kill himself,” court papers said.
Taylor told the clinician Nov. 7 that he was upset with those who had taken his dog, Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Murphy said in the arrest report.
A jail nurse told investigators that Taylor said he would “kill as many people as he can” if he didn’t get his dog back upon release, according to the affidavit for probable cause.
“She asked him why he would say that when he knew that she had contacted the pound and confirmed arrangements that the dog was still being held for him,” Murphy said.
“He told her that it’s because he gets lied to.”
The clinician and nurse each said they were concerned for their safety and the safety of law enforcement personnel.
After being advised that he was under arrest for investigation of felony harassment, Taylor told Murphy: “I feel like you [law enforcement in general] did me wrong going into my rig and getting my dog,” court papers said.
“I’m 100 percent disabled and that dog is all I have,” Taylor said.
Taylor’s dog had been removed from Taylor’s vehicle after he was arrested for a suspected misdemeanor on South Lincoln Street.
Special arrangements had been made with the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society to hold the dog until Taylor’s release, Murphy said.
Taylor, who had no prior felony convictions, has six handguns registered in his name, Murphy said.
Since 2014, Taylor had misdemeanor convictions for first-degree criminal trespass, making a false statement to a public servant, third-degree theft, driving under the influence and reckless endangerment, prosecutors said in a news release.
In addition to jail time, Taylor is prohibited from coming within 100 feet of the Clallam County jail unless for legitimate business and was ordered to pay legal fees, prosecutors said.
“The Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office takes crimes against law enforcement and other first responders very seriously and we aggressively prosecute those offenders,” Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Michele Devlin said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsula dailynews.com.