Everett Man Gets 5 Years For Intimidation

Fri., April 21, 1995

From Staff And Wire Reports

A judge has sentenced an Everett man to five years in prison for intimidating a witness and cruelty to animals for burning a kitten in an oven.

Clayton Edward Butsch, 29, pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced Tuesday by Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Linda Kreese to four years’ imprisonment for witness intimidation and one year for animal cruelty.

Deputy Prosecutor Mark Roe said Butsch also had been charged with raping the female witness he intimidated. That charge was dropped under a plea bargain. Butsch had told the woman about putting the kitten in the oven, Roe said.

Court papers say that on Feb. 8, Butsch became angry with a friend who had placed his boots outside, and burned her cat in retaliation.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.