A Seattle man with a long criminal record of repeat offenses is back in jail, just after being released last week. Francisco Calderon had only been out of jail for a few days when he was arrested again--this time for throwing coffee on a toddler. The incident involving the toddler was first charged as a felony but then downgraded to a misdemeanor, so now it will be handled by Seattle's City Attorney's office. According to the King County Prosecutor's Office:

In evaluating whether there is sufficient evidence to support a felony charge, we are ethically bound to apply the facts of a particular case to the law as established by the legislature. This is regardless of the history of a particular defendant or the outrageousness of the conduct.

In order to elevate an assault against a child from a gross misdemeanor to a felony, there must be some level of bodily harm to the victim. The details of this law are specified here: https://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.36.140.

The toddler was not injured or burned in the incident.

Repeat Offender Prior Record

Earlier in the year, Calderon was sentenced to a year in jail after he'd assaulted a stranger. The Prosecutor's Office had recommended a sentence of 30 days in jail and treatment, but Judge Ed McKenna denied that plea deal and sentenced Calderon to the maximum sentence. Calderon was released just after serving eight months of his sentence.

Calderon has 40 years' worth of criminal convictions--73 total--and according to his sister, Anna Calderon Barnett, he is not only homeless, but he has a drug abuse history and he's mentally ill. Barnett told KIRO radio that Calderon “deserves better than what he's getting” from the City Attorney's Office. She believes her brother needs long-term care and that at this point, her brother will just keep committing offenses so that he's taken off the streets.

“His last words to me from prison were ‘I don't want to go back out there — I don't know how to live,' and he's right. I think this is what's being overlooked,” said Barnett.

Report on Repeat Offenders in Seattle

In February 2019, the Downtown Seattle Association and other businesses delivered a report to city officials that outlined the problem of repeat offenders and their impact on the safety and well-being of city residents and businesses. The report focused on 100 repeat offenders, one of whom was Francisco Calderon. According to the report, these 100 repeat offenders have

• committed 3,562 crimes,
• were booked 636 times into King County Jail, and
• have homelessness, substance abuse, or mental health issues.

Defense Attorney Steve Karimi

If you have a loved one who has been arrested for multiple offenses and is now facing yet another criminal charge, Steve Karimi can help. As a former prosecutor, Steve Karimi understands both sides of the law and will fight for your loved one's rights and ensure that they receive help, not just more jail time. Call his office today at 206-621-8777 for a consultation or use the contact form.