Port Townsend man, 46, accused of rape of a child

PORT TOWNSEND — A Port Townsend man has been arrested on investigation of rape of a child, incest and child molestation that occurred 10 years ago.

Richard E. Haley, 46, was arrested Wednesday, two days after his release from serving six years in prison on similar charges, after a girl who is now 17 told of abuse when she was 7 to 10.

Upon registering as a sex offender, he was arrested at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for investigation of three counts of first-degree rape of a child, two counts of first-degree incest, one count of second-degree incest and one count of first-degree child molestation.

At his initial court appearance Friday, Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Keith Harper set a $750,000 bond.

Haley is scheduled for arraignment at 8:30 a.m. Friday in Jefferson County Superior Court at the courthouse at 1820 Jefferson St. in Port Townsend.

He remained in the Jefferson County jail Saturday.

According to a probable-cause statement, Haley was arrested when he visited the sheriff’s office to register as a sex offender from his January 2012 conviction of two counts of rape in the third degree and two counts of incest.

In February of this year, the girl, who lives in another county, told a school counselor of molestation suffered when she was younger.

The counselor contacted the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, which interviewed the girl.

Kitsap County authorities contacted the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Shane Stevenson obtained and viewed a copy of the interview.

Haley has a history of sexual assault charges, including a 1990 conviction in Kitsap County, law enforcement officers said.

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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.

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