A 41-year-old Oak Harbor man accused of violating a no-contact order over and over again will not be able to leave jail to grieve for his recently deceased father.

In fact, Christopher P. Hightower may face a stalking charge, which could potentially add years to a sentence.

Hightower is currently charged in Island County Superior Court with seven counts of felony violation of a court order. All of the charges relate to the same victim.

Hightower requested a furlough to remove his property from his late father’s house and to hold a memorial service. In a hearing Monday, Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Eric Ohme strongly opposed the request, saying that the defendant seems incapable of following court orders and that a furlough would be a “slap in the face of the victim.”

Judge Christon Skinner expressed sympathy for Hightower’s loss but ultimately denied the furlough request.

Ohme pointed out that Hightower had previously served a prison sentence for failing to follow no-contact orders. In February 2021, he pleaded guilty to felony violation of a court order and malicious mischief. A violation of a court order becomes a felony when a defendant has two previous convictions.

Last year, Hightower repeatedly called and texted a woman in violation of a no-contact order, according to a police report. After he was charged, he posted bail and got out of jail. Then he allegedly violating the terms of release by surreptitiously tracking the woman through her AirPods and trying to communicate with her through a third person, court documents allege.

As a result, a judge revoked his release and ordered him held in jail without bail.

On Jan. 25, Ohme filed a motion to amend the charges against Hightower to add felony stalking and yet another count of violation of a protective order. The proporsed charges include allegations of aggravating circumstances, which could allow the judge to impose an exceptional sentence beyond the standard range.

That same day, Hightower’s attorney, Jason Weiss of Everett, filed the motion to authorize a furlough. The motion said Hightower wanted a furlough from jail for four to five days to complete the duties of executor of his father’s estate, plan a ceremony for his father’s ashes and mourn his father’s passing.

In a written response, Ohme argued against the furlough, pointing out that Hightower is not the executor of his father’s will and that his father specifically asked for no ceremony.

In court, Weiss conceded that Hightower is not the executor, but he said his client wants to hold his own memorial for his father. In addition, he said everything Hightower owns is inside his father’s house, and he will lose it all if he can’t get out of jail temporarily.

Skinner denied the request, explaining that it didn’t conform to the legal reasons a furlough may be granted.