Suspect's competency questioned

SANDPOINT — Competency has been drawn into question for a man who was arrested in Bonner County on Oregon sex abuse charges, court records show.

Charles Wayne Garayalde was arrested in Oldtown in October, following a report of disorderly conduct at a relative’s home. The responding deputy discovered an active warrant for Garayalde’s arrest on three counts of first-degree sex abuse in Curry County, according to court documents.

Garayalde, 80, waived extradition and was shuttled back to Oregon to face the charges, a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

However, his defense counsel is claiming that Garayalde has dementia and other ailments which prevent him from assisting in his own defense, said Chantel Garayalde, the man’s stepdaughter.

Chantel Garayalde said she believes her step-father is malingering, a position which has also been adopted by the prosecution.

Chantel Garayalde is speaking out against her step-father, whom she accuses of sexually abusing her as a child and other children.

Charles Garayalde’s alleged misconduct with minors was an open secret in her family, according to Chantel Garayalde, who said she was ostracized from members of her family for attempting to expose her step-father’s misdeeds.

Chantel Garayalde said her father counted on the shame and silence of his victims to keep his crimes in the shadows. Family members, meanwhile, did not want to acknowledge the patriarch’s behaviors.

“Nobody wanted to deal with the reality,” said Chantel Garayalde.

The Daily Bee does not identify victims of alleged sexual abuse, although Chantel Garayalde consented to being identified and quoted.

Charles Garayalde, who goes by the nicknames Trigger or Trig, is accused of sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl in 2009.

The allegations against Charles Garayalde came to light earlier this year, when he made incriminating remarks to a law officer in an unrelated battery investigation, Chantel Garayalde said.

Charles Garayalde was charged by secret indictment in September, court records show.

A pretrial hearing in the case is set for Monday. He remains in custody in a Curry County Jail.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.