Man pleads guilty to Port Townsend residential burglary

Sentencing hearing to take place at Friday

PORT TOWNSEND — A man who pleaded guilty to residential burglary is set to be sentenced this week.

Joel Robert Chaudoin, 43, told Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Keith Harper on Friday he was guilty of residential burglary, possession of heroin and the violation of a no-contact order.

Residential burglary is a Class B felony, while possession of a controlled substance is a Class C felony. The no-contact order violation is a gross misdemeanor.

Chaudoin pleaded guilty in exchange for the dismissal of a separate case.

He remained in the Jefferson County Jail on Saturday in lieu of $200,000 bail and is scheduled to be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. this Friday in superior court.

Harper said during the change of plea hearing Friday that the standard range for residential burglary is 43 to 57 months and up to a $20,000 fine.

Chaudoin was arrested Aug. 18 after a short foot pursuit near the Thomas Street apartments in Port Townsend on a warrant for first-degree burglary.

Port Townsend Police Sgt. Jason Greenspane said he was violating a no-contact order and found to be in possession of a stolen vehicle and multiple controlled substances, including heroin and methamphetamine.

A bench warrant had been issued for his arrest Aug. 16 after Chaudoin failed to appear in Jefferson County Superior Court.

Port Townsend police coordinated with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office because Greenspane said Chaudoin had an extensive history and a likelihood to run.

Chaudoin previously had been charged with possession of burglary tools, and he was found to be carrying a weapon capable of bodily harm, according to a police report.

Additional charges that came from that incident included bail jumping and obstructing a law enforcement officer, court records state.

Greenspane said the August incident took about two hours.

“There was a lot of police activity in a short amount of time,” he said.

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Jefferson County Managing Editor Brian McLean can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 6, or at bmclean@peninsuladailynews.com.

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