PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man charged with child rape will soon decide whether he will fight extradition to Tennessee.
Brian Wayne McBride, 31, is scheduled to appear in Clallam County Superior Court at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
He is charged in Clallam County with first-degree rape of a child and for being a fugitive from justice in another state.
McBride is facing extradition to Sumner County in Tennessee, where he is charged with two counts of raping the same girl as in the Clallam County case.
The Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has agreed to dismiss the fugitive charge with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled, if McBride waives his extradition rights and returns to Tennessee.
If he accepts the offer, the Clallam County child rape case would be dismissed without prejudice, meaning it can be refilled.
Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney April King emphasized in a Friday court hearing that the child rape case could be re-charged after the Tennessee matter is resolved.
McBride was not prepared to make a decision on the offer Friday.
Defense attorney Harry Gasnick of Clallam Public Defender said he would meet with his client in the Clallam County jail prior to Wednesday’s hearing.
“We’ll have to flesh it out downstairs,” Gasnick told Superior Court Judge Christopher Melly.
“This isn’t the greatest forum for private conversations on matters that involve potential life sentences.”
“I understand,” Melly said.
First-degree rape of a child is a Class A felony punishable by up to life in prison and a $50,000 fine.
Trial scheduled
A trial for the Clallam County child rape case is scheduled to begin next Monday.
McBride was released from jail on personal recognizance after his March 11 arrest and was ordered to have no contact with minors.
He allegedly violated the conditions of his release by living in the garage of a house where minors reside and by accompanying the alleged victim’s mother to pick up another child from an elementary school.
McBride is now being held in the Clallam County jail on $200,000 bail.
Port Angeles police allege that McBride raped the girl over the course of several years in Tennessee and in the Sequim area before she was 12.
Police Det. Erik Smith headed up the investigation.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
