Oregon man receives 50-year sentence for abuse and stalking of ex-partner

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Following nearly three years of abuse, stalking and attempted murder, a man was sentenced to 50 years in prison, officials said.

According to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, Michael Panarites was sentenced to 50 years after he was found guilty on 23 different charges ranging from harassment and stalking to rape and solicitation of murder.

Officials said that Panarites' crimes started in at least December 2020 and lasted until he was arrested in May 2023, and during that time he physically, sexually and psychologically abused his victim, a former partner with whom he shared a child.

Up until July 2022, Panarites lived in the same home as the victim, sexually and physically assaulting her until she finally fled and obtained a restraining order, authorities said.

Even with a restraining order, officials said Panarites continued to stalk her, hiring a private investigator and placing multiple tracking devices on her vehicle to monitor her. He also attempted to convince his parents to help kill his victim and her mother.

The first time Panarites was confronted by police, they said he fled and crossed state lines, and obtained numerous stolen firearms and other weapons.

Eventually, on May 29, 2023, Panarites' car was stopped by Portland police due to stolen license plates.

Inside the car, police said they found over 100 rounds of ammunition, multiple loaded magazines, a stolen gun, a machete, an axe, a crossbow and bolts and numerous stolen license plates. They also said he had a handcuff key on his car keys.

All of the items were ones police said he had described to his parents that he would use to murder the victim and others.

In February, Panarites was found guilty of 23 crimes, including attempt to commit any degree of murder or aggravated murder, solicitation of murder, stalking, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, six counts of unlawful use of a global positioning system device, harassment, second-degree criminal mischief, two counts of coercion, fourth-degree assault, harassment, three counts of first-degree sodomy, two counts of first-degree rape and first-degree unlawful sexual penetration.

On May 8, Panarites was sentenced, with the judge saying that Panarites' "long, continuous course of conduct," which included terrorizing his victim in every way possible, led to his long sentence.