West Seattle Crime Watch: 10-year sentence for Donald Plute

We’re in King County Superior Court again this afternoon – this time in the courtroom of Judge Laura Inveen, who has just sentenced 23-year-old Donald Plute of Top Hat to a 10-year, 9-month sentence. Plute pleaded guilty in February to charges stemming from a morning-long rampage last August – he stole a vehicle on Alki, then reverse-rammed it into a pursuing vehicle containing its owner, and later reverse-rammed a police car trying to pull him over in Morgan Junction. He subsequently sped off into Gatewood, abandoned the vehicle and ran. This is a “huge sentence,” as Judge Inveen put it, compared to what he had been given for so many crimes before. The only person in the courtroom besides your WSB team, the lawyers, and the judge, was Plute’s father, who spoke briefly, as did Plute. More details in a bit – we’re off to breaking news. (Courthouse-hallway photo taken today by Katie Meyer for WSB)

ADDED 5:40 PM: Deputy prosecuting attorney Alex Voorhees described Plute’s spree as “a really dangerous situation for almost the entire neighborhood of West Seattle,” considering not only the vehicles he rammed but also pedestrians and others along the roads across the peninsula he used between stealing and running.”

Representing Plute, defense attorney Eric Spencer said Plute “acknowledges he has a very serious problem with substance abuse and needs some time off the streets in order to (address it) … he does understand the gravity of what he’s done and how much more serious it could have been.”

Plute’s father spoke, saying he would rather see his son get treatment than a long prison sentence, and saying Plute’s mother had just gone through two surgical procedures and he just hopes she’s still alive when he gets out.

“You’re familiar with your son’s criminal history?” asked Judge Inveen.

“I know he’s got a lot of points but … last time he was (in) he got degrees in welding and fiber-optics but (after getting out) he got back into drugs and alcohol.”

The judge noted that Plute had been given a chance with DOSA, Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative – less prison time if you go through treatment and stay clean – in 2010.

Plute spoke on his own behalf for a moment or two, too quietly for us to hear from the gallery. The judge said his record appeared to have something similar, including eluding, in 2008. She pointed out that the sentencing before his had been in a wrenching case involving a hit-run death and a drug-addicted suspect – “she’s going to prison and has nowhere near the background you do.” Judge Inveen continued, “I see a lot of people with drug problems. It’s a terrible thing, it’s a disease, but it’s not an excuse for stealing cars and doing the stuff you did. … You’ve been given opportunities … this is a huge sentence, (but) it’s the low end of the range. I don’t have the discretion to go lower than that. Under these circumstances, I hope you will grow up, and do some good things.”

With that, she decreed the recommended 129-month sentence (counting other sentences running concurrently – he had pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree assault, and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle), with credit for the 7 months he has been in jail so far, plus restitution to be finalized later (the judge noted he already has some piled up from earlier cases on his record, which stretches back to age 15), and 18 months of community custody (probation) when he gets out.

12 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: 10-year sentence for Donald Plute"

  • alki resident April 4, 2014 (5:08 pm)

    I dont think he would’ve had that much time had he not hit a cop car.

    • WSB April 4, 2014 (5:19 pm)

      I’m adding details from the hearing but it was actually his long rap sheet that impressed the judge, so to speak, the most. He had even been through the drug-offender alternate-sentencing program once. You’ll recall, this is the guy let out by another judge at an earlier stage of the process – TR

  • Sandal 41 April 4, 2014 (6:02 pm)

    They should handout more of these sentences in the beginning to ward off huge rap sheets

  • drahcir61 April 4, 2014 (7:39 pm)

    Considering his rap sheet began at 15, perhaps his father should have been arrested while he was in court (I say this tongue-in-cheek but still).

  • Eric April 4, 2014 (7:42 pm)

    Wow, finally a sentence deserving for a habitual criminal.

  • Eric April 4, 2014 (7:45 pm)

    The judge wanted to give a lighter sentence, but couldn’t? Figures

  • wscommuter April 4, 2014 (7:58 pm)

    Sentences in WA for felonies are essentially set by a grid – the vertical axis counts the “Seriousness level” (from 1-10) of the crime (i.e., low level theft is a “1” and 1st degree homicide is a “10”). The horizontal axis is the “offender score”, where the individual’s prior felony history adds up as “points” (you get one point for each felony, but certain serious felonies get multiplied). By matching the seriousness level and the offender score, the grid provides a “sentencing range” which the judge is required to sentence within, except in rare, specific circumstances.

    This person’s prior felonies got him a high offender score, so Judge Inveen was required to sentence him in a range, where even the lower end was still 129 months in prison.

    That he hit a police car had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with his sentencing range. It’s all done by simple math.

  • Eric April 4, 2014 (9:24 pm)

    Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get all that about the sentencing. The problem I have is the implication from the judge that they would have given a lower sentence had they the discretion or in more plain language, the freedom to do so

  • Beth April 5, 2014 (9:01 am)

    Great reporting Tracy.
    Re: Plute all I will say is, “next.”

  • skeptic April 5, 2014 (9:27 am)

    Mr. Plute could have easily killed someone during his high speed run away from the SPD. He needs a nice cell to live in to keep him away from the rest of us.

  • tophat topcat April 5, 2014 (9:38 am)

    Since this POS has been locked up our apt. complex has had no more cars broken into or bikes stolen. Have a good time in prison Plute!! Hope your children don’t grow up to be like you.

  • Eric April 5, 2014 (10:46 am)

    Maybe what Mr. Plute needs is a hot chocolate and a hug instead…..never mind, I like the 10 years in prison better

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