PORT ANGELES — A trial date for a Port Hadlock man accused of robbing a Sequim bank has been pushed into early next year.
Defense attorney Alex Stalker received a continuance from Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden as Stalker awaits information from an expert.
Dale Allen Jaff, 58, will tentatively go to trial for eight days starting on Jan. 26, 2026.
He pleaded not guilty in mid-May to felony charges of first-degree robbery, second-degree theft and second-degree assault.
Jaff could serve up to life in prison and receive a $50,000 fine for the robbery charge, up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for theft, and up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for assault.
Basden set a status hearing for 1 p.m. Jan. 9. He said the eight-day trial seemed unusually lengthy, but he noted a large number of state witnesses. Jaff originally was set to go to trial for six days starting on July 7, but that was postponed to Dec. 1 in Clallam County Superior Court.
He was arrested on May 9 at his home a month after he allegedly demanded money from Kitsap Bank on April 9, showed weapons, sprayed bear defense spray inside the facility for about 20 seconds, and took between $3,000 and $4,000, according to court documents.
Sequim police officers arrested Jaff at his home on May 9 after they used video surveillance and body cam footage to match him and his 2010 white Chevrolet Silverado to the alleged robbery, according to the Sequim Police Department.
Officers also reported that Jaff admitted he robbed the bank because he was behind on rent and was going to be homeless if he did not pay back rent.
Court documents said officers recovered a BB gun, stun gun, bear spray, clothing and the bag allegedly used and/or seen at the scene along with copies of his written demands.
