69 Calls in a Day? Man Charged After Alleged Threats on Prosecutor, County Staff

A man accused of harassing and threatening Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer and other courthouse staff over a period of three years was arrested Tuesday afternoon when he showed up at the Lewis County Law and Justice Center, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Dale Allen Paine, 61, was charged Wednesday in Lewis County Superior Court with two counts of harassment of a criminal justice participant performing official duties. 

Court documents list Paine as a transient, although he insisted in court that he lives in Everett.

Thurston County Deputy Prosecutor Joseph Wheeler represented the state Wednesday afternoon at Paine’s first appearance in court. Wheeler, who will appear as a special prosecutor since Meyer is the victim in this case, asked for $25,000 bail, but Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt said that wouldn’t be enough.

“As far as I’m concerned, this is outrageous behavior,” he said. 

Hunt imposed $100,000 bail.

“This all started with a DUI,” Meyer told the Chronicle Wednesday, just before Paine’s first appearance in Superior Court. 

In March 2013, the prosecutor’s office filed charges against Paine for allegedly driving under the influence. The charges were dismissed after Paine was found to be mentally incompetent to stand trial, Meyer told The Chronicle.

Since then Paine has allegedly called the Prosecutor’s Office almost daily. 

“He’s called for my arrest, threatened my life,” Meyer said. “We have tried to get him mental health help, we have tried blocking his phone. He just gets a new number.”

Paine’s record, Meyer said, is 69 voicemails in one night. 

“There have been times I’ve talked to him 50 times a day,” Meyer said. 

In addition to the calls, court documents recount an incident in which Paine allegedly confronted Meyer in an elevator and wouldn’t let him leave. Paine is not specifically charged for that incident. 

Charging documents point to two specific alleged confrontations between Paine and Meyer in June and July.

In a call on June 30, 2016, Paine allegedly told Meyer that he was going to “send Mr. Meyer to be with his family,” according to court documents, which Meyer took as a threat.

Then on July 27, Meyer reported to the Sheriff’s Office that Paine left him 50 voicemails, and in one said he would come visit the prosecutor at the courthouse.

Up until very recently, authorities believed Paine was contacting Meyer’s office from Florida, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Calls have also been traced back to New Mexico, according to court documents.

However, Tuesday afternoon, courthouse staff saw Paine standing near the “smoker’s shed” at the courthouse, Meyer said. Paine was arrested at 4:45 p.m. 

His next hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday.