HILLSBORO, Ore.- On December 20, 2018, Judge Janelle Factora Wipper sentenced Patrick Michael Paluda to 130 months in prison after a Washington County jury found him guilty of multiple charges brought against him by Senior Deputy District Attorney John Gerhard. Paluda was found guilty of Assault in the Second-Degree, Coercion, Strangulation, Menacing, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and multiple drug-related charges.

Paluda was arrested in June of 2018 by members of the Inter-agency Washington County Tactical Negotiations Team (TNT), or SWAT. Officers were dispatched to a home Paluda was renting after a neighbor called 911 to report shouting and a possible domestic disturbance there. When officers first arrived, they found the female victim screaming for help as she tried to escape the home by scaling a fence in the backyard.

After further investigation, Washington County Sheriff’s Office Detectives Pat Tapley and Mark Povolny found evidence that Paluda was holding the victim against her will. He screwed all windows and doors shut and modified a garage door handle so that it would lock from the outside, trapping the victim in his home. He also threatened her with a gun, making her fear for her safety if she tried to leave. When he returned home that day, he began an assault on the victim that lasted several hours.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office takes domestic violence very seriously. In this case, we observed an escalating level of violence that spanned nearly a year and a half.  While the victim was reluctant to participate in this prosecution, the criminal justice system is sometimes obligated to intervene and ensure the safety of everyone in our community.

If you suspect someone is in an abusive relationship, call law enforcement immediately. You can also report the abuse by calling the Domestic Violence Resource Center’s 24-hour crisis line at 866-469-8600. You can also visit our website to find more information and resources.