PORT ANGELES — A Port Townsend man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for a series of assaults in the Sequim area last year, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said.
William T. Leoso, 47, pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm April 15, court papers said.
He was sentenced to 96 months in prison last Thursday as recommended by Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Steven Johnson and defense attorney Stan Myers.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said Leoso beat a 34-year-old Carlsborg woman with brass knuckles, punching her in the head up to 15 times, and shot a 24-year-old Sequim man in the right foot on April 29, 2020.
Leoso also pointed a handgun at two men who tried to stop him from attacking the woman, according to the affidavit for probable cause.
Investigators said Leoso was an acquaintance of the victims, who accused each other of stealing from Leoso.
A witness said Leoso punched the woman while saying, “Where’s my [expletive deleted].”
Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Leoso without further incident in Port Hadlock on April 30, 2020. He had a loaded 9 mm Ruger pistol in his possession, investigators said.
Leoso had multiple felony convictions in King County, including second-degree assault.
Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden found that controlled substances were a factor in the commission of the crimes and ordered Leoso to substance abuse treatment.
Leoso declined to make a statement at his sentencing, according to the minutes of the hearing.
One count of first-degree assault with a firearm was dismissed in exchange for Leoso’s guilty plea.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsuladaily news.com.
