The state Attorney General’s Office on Friday charged Pierce County Superior Court Judge Michael A. Hecht with one count of felony harassment and one count of soliciting a prostitute, charges Hecht’s attorney said the judge plans to fight to the end.

Charging documents filed by assistant attorney general John Hillman in Pierce County Superior Court allege that Hecht:

 • Threatened to kill 24-year-old Joseph John Hesketh IV on Aug. 30 in downtown Tacoma.

 • Paid 20-year-old Joseph Pfeiffer for sex on numerous occasions between summer 2008 and January 2009.

Hecht’s attorney, Wayne Fricke of Tacoma, said his client maintains his innocence and is disappointed that he’s been charged.

“He denies both,” Fricke said. “He’s going to trial.”

Hecht, 58, is to be arraigned March 13 in Superior Court. A judge from outside the county will be requested to preside over the arraignment, Fricke said.

Hecht was sworn into office Jan. 12, the day after The News Tribune reported that Tacoma police had investigated allegations that he’d bought sex from Hesketh several years ago and threatened to kill him Aug. 30.

The newspaper talked to two other prostitutes, including Pfeiffer, who said they, too, had sold sex to Hecht.

Hecht first appeared on the bench Feb. 2, but his docket has been light because Pierce County prosecutors have declined to bring cases before him while the criminal allegations play out.

He’s presided over at least two civil matters in his time on the bench, Superior Court Presiding Judge Bryan Chushcoff said Friday.

Chushcoff added that he will continue to assign cases to Hecht, including criminal matters, because Hecht is presumed innocent and was elected by the voters to serve as a judge. Attorneys will have to decide whether they want Hecht to hear their cases, Chushcoff said.

Hecht is to earn a salary of $148,000 this year.

It most likely will be up to the Washington State Supreme Court to decide whether Hecht should keep his judgeship, Chushcoff said.

A supporter of former Judge Sergio Armijo, whom Hecht defeated in the August 2008 election, told The News Tribune in November that he’d filed a complaint about Hecht with the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct.

The commission investigates allegations of wrongdoing against judges and can make disciplinary recommendations to the Supreme Court. The commission, through its executive director, has declined to say whether it is investigating Hecht.

The state is basing its case on statements made by Hesketh and Pfeiffer, according to the charging documents.

Both told Tacoma police they engaged in prostitution on Antique Row and that Hecht had paid them for sex on multiple occasions, charging papers state.

Hesketh said his encounters with Hecht dated to the years 1999-2001. Pfeiffer said his encounters with Hecht were more recent – the latest dating to August or September of last year, shortly after Hecht was elected to the bench.

The News Tribune also interviewed Hesketh and Pfeiffer. Stories published Jan. 11 and Feb. 1 noted that Hecht was under investigation and recounted the allegations that appear in charging papers.

The felony harassment charge stems from an Aug. 30 incident in downtown Tacoma.

Hecht allegedly threatened to kill Hesketh for spreading rumors, according to the charging papers. Pfeiffer, riding in Hecht’s car at the time, witnessed the incident, though he told police he did not hear a threat.

“Hesketh reported to police that on or about Aug. 30, 2008, he was with his boyfriend in an alley in the area of 6th and St. Helens,” the charges state. “Hecht drove his blue Nissan into the alley in an aggressive manner and pulled up next to Hesketh. …

“Hecht was very angry. Hecht screamed at Hesketh, ‘Are you talking about me? You better not be talking about me. I’ll kill you.’”

Hecht apparently was angry because he’d heard that someone named “Joe” was talking about their sex-for-money encounters, the charging papers state.

Police interviewed Hesketh’s boyfriend, Michael Mundorff, who confirmed Hesketh’s version of events, the charges state.

The harassment charge is a Class C felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, though the standard sentencing range would be much lower.

The prostitution charge, a misdemeanor, is based on Pfeiffer’s alleged encounters with Hecht.

Pfeiffer told police in January that he had met Hecht about two years earlier. He said he had sex with Hecht eight to 10 times, and Hecht paid him after each encounter, the court records state.

Hesketh and Pfeiffer told police the encounters always took place in Hecht’s West End Tacoma law office on Pearl Street.

The charges note that Hesketh’s father confronted Hecht via e-mail in early September. Hecht reportedly called the father back and denied knowing Hesketh at first, then admitted it but refused to discuss the matter any further.

Investigators examined Hecht’s cell phone records and found that Hecht placed a call to the father’s phone number Sept. 4, charging documents state.

On Jan. 12, the day after The News Tribune’s first story ran, Hecht reportedly called Pfeiffer. Investigators found records of a call that day from Hecht’s cell phone to Pfeiffer’s number, according to charging documents.

“Pfeiffer told police that during the Jan. 12 phone call Hecht wanted Pfeiffer to meet with his attorney to talk about ‘the good things’ about Hecht,” the charges state. “Hecht wanted Pfeiffer to ‘make him look good in front of his attorney.’

“Hecht specifically told Pfeiffer that he did not want Pfeiffer to talk about having sex with Hecht.”

The charges also cite statements from “downtown business security officers, downtown shopkeepers and downtown employees” who told police that for years they have seen Hecht “driving around antique row and picking up and dropping off known male prostitutes.”

The charges note that police officers on the downtown beat made similar observations.

Police also interviewed a man named Patrick Graham, who “works downtown producing all-male pornographic photos and videos,” the charges state. Hesketh and Pfeiffer have modeled for Graham, according to the charges.

Graham told police he often collected a $10 fee from Hecht in exchange for introducing him to young men who model for his photographs and videos. Investigators found records of more than 200 phone calls between Hecht and Graham from June 2008 to January 2009, according to court records.

“Graham considers Hecht ‘a good friend,’” the charges state.

Attempts Friday by The News Tribune to reach Graham were unsuccessful.

Sean Robinson: 253-597-8486

Adam Lynn: 253-597-8644

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