Man gets 10 years for domestic violence, drug convictions

A man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for multiple convictions related to domestic violence and drugs, the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

On May 26, a jury found the defendant, Brett Hale, guilty of felony harassment – domestic violence, malicious mischief – domestic violence, unlawful possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) with intent to deliver while armed with a firearm, and three counts of unlawful possession of a stolen firearm.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Lacey police were dispatched to a domestic violence call made from the 5900 block of Crimson Street SE on September 14, 2021.

The reporting party, later identified as Hale’s ex-girlfriend, said the defendant was in her driveway along with another man. She said they were loading items into a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The woman said Hale threatened to kill her, threw a machete at the wall, and broke her bedroom door.

Hale and his male companion hid in the garage when Lacey police arrived at the scene, leading to a three-hour standoff that involved the Thurston County SWAT team.  

The SWAT team eventually managed to get Hale to exit the residence and booked him into the Thurston County Jail.

The Prosecutor’s Office also said that before Hale’s trial began, he pleaded guilty to 10 counts of violation of a no-contact order – domestic violence.

On June 2, after the trial for this case was concluded, Hale also pleaded guilty to multiple other charges from two other cases, including unlawful delivery of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), money laundering, second-degree assault, residential burglary, violation of a no-contact order, and attempting to elude.