A man serving community custody in Lewis County has been charged with felony telephone harassment after he allegedly threatened to kill his former partner in multiple voicemails.
Austin Brunette, 26, of Toledo, made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court Friday after posting a $50,000 bond following his arrest.
Brunette faces up to five years in prison for the Class C felony, which is considered a domestic violence offense. As part of his conditions of release, Brunette is prohibited from consuming or possessing any alcohol or non-prescribed drugs.
During the hearing, a judge granted the state’s request for a no-contact order on behalf of the alleged victim, as well as an order for Brunette to surrender any weapons within his possession.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Brunette is a convicted sex offender serving community custody with the state Department of Corrections (DOC) in Lewis County after being transferred from Idaho.
On Sept. 21, two DOC officers received an email from a woman who described being in an "on-again-off-again" relationship with Brunette.
According to the affidavit, the woman described Brunette as “controlling, threatening, and abusive” and accused Brunette of threatening to “show up at her home, kick her door in, kill her, shoot her, kill himself, contact her employer, and contact people in her life.”
The officers reportedly received screenshots of transcribed voicemails sent by Brunette to the woman in June, and later listened to an actual recording of at least one message.
In the messages, Brunette allegedly threatens to kill the woman.
The woman wrote she was “scared of retaliation.” She told the officers she was “hiding in another state” and had been afraid to come to authorities when the messages were first sent.
According to the affidavit, Brunette’s phone number matched the number that sent the alleged messages to the woman.
Brunette is scheduled for an arraignment on Oct. 15.
