A Randle man was arrested late Sunday night and booked into the Lewis County Jail after he allegedly made a series of phone calls to the Lewis County 911 Dispatch Center, bombarding multiple operators with racial slurs and other profane threats.
Ray E. Corcoles, 51, made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court Monday for charges of felony harassment, punishable by up to five years in prison and $10,000 in fines, and telephone harassment, a gross misdemeanor.
Lewis County prosecutors assert that Corcoles called into the center on Oct. 19 and repeatedly used threatening and offensive language. In one call, Corcoles allegedly told an operator she was a "dumb, retarded (obscenity)” and that she should "kill (herself) in the f—-ing face."
Corcoles also used the n-word throughout his verbal tirade, according to court documents, at one point saying he didn’t like Black people at all.
One of the operators reportedly told law enforcement that Corcoles threatened to hang him and said he “better watch out.” Because Corcoles already had a “safety flag” attached to his name from past incidents, the operator was afraid the threats might be acted upon.
After speaking with the dispatch center, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputies contacted Corcoles at his residence. Corcoles initially denied the accusations, saying “he is not racist because he is Hispanic,” according to court documents.
When one of the deputies called the number used to make the 911 threats, however, Corcoles’ phone allegedly rang.
Deputies also requested a copy of one of the phone calls.
“When the recording was played aloud, Corcoles put his head in his hands and apologized,” court documents stated.
Corcoles has a history of similar behavior. He was convicted of felony harassment with threats to kill in 2017 and 2012, along with a number of misdemeanors including possessing a dangerous weapon, telephone harassment and disorderly conduct.
During the preliminary hearing, Senior Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello asked for a bail amount of $20,000, noting Corcoles’ well-documented history of harassment.
Defense attorney Rachael Tiller responded that any prior convictions were several years old, and said that the conditions of release — to include no alcohol or non-prescribed drug consumption — should allay any safety concerns.
Tiller asked for consideration of an unsecured bail.
Judge Paul Strophy found justification for a bail of $10,000 cash or bond with standard conditions of release, including an order not to consume alcohol or illegal drugs, which he said would be sufficient to ensure compliance with court orders.
The judge scheduled an arraignment for Oct. 23. Corcoles will look to retain private counsel.
