Charges against King County Assessor John Wilson dismissed
Criminal charges alleging that King County Assessor John Wilson stalked his ex-fiancée have been dropped, according to court records.
A motion of dismissal filed Monday in Seattle Municipal Court by the Seattle city attorney's office states that charges were dismissed without prejudice. The document gave a two-sentence explanation for the change.
Additional information has been produced," it stated. "Victim no longer wants to cooperate."
A Seattle Times inquiry to the city attorney's office was not returned Monday afternoon.
In an email Monday evening, Wilson's attorney said the county assessor "was always confident this case would be resolved fairly upon the full consideration and context of all of the facts in this case instead of sound bites."
"He considers this to be a closed personal matter and looks forward to serving the public until the natural expiration of his term," added John Polito.
In April, a month after he was charged, Wilson pleaded not guilty to two counts of violating a no-contact court order, after he was accused of stalking his ex, Lee Keller, and arrested outside her house. The charges related to two instances in the summer of 2025, according to court documents, of Wilson being in a car outside of Keller's home.
In a text message Monday to The Seattle Times, Keller wrote, "I'm trying to get on with my life and do not want to go into a long and extended trial over this."
"I assume that's what they mean about the victim not cooperating," she added. "I appreciate the support I have received from Seattle police and city prosecutors."
Wilson, whose elected term as assessor ends this year, dropped his campaign for county executive last year after he was arrested. He later announced he would not seek another term as assessor. He has resisted calls to resign - from the Metropolitan King County Council and County Executive Girmay Zahilay.
In a court hearing last July, before charges were filed, District Judge Jill Klinge found probable cause existed for domestic violence stalking, which is a felony, and violating a protection order, a misdemeanor.
In that court hearing, Keller, a prominent local public affairs consultant, asked the judge to "please help me stay safe by placing bail as high as you possibly can."
"I'm afraid to leave my home; I'm afraid in grocery stores; I'm afraid when I attend events for business. I go out of my way to avoid places that I think he might be, but I can't get away from him," Keller said during that hearing.
In a court filing submitted Thursday, Wilson's attorney John Polito asked a judge to end Wilson's no-contact order, saying that Keller had been reaching out.
The filing contained screenshots of Keller texting Wilson last month and asking if she could call him.
"I've asked the City to please figure out how to settle this and make it all go away," she wrote in one text.
In another, she wrote, "I'm probably making a huge mistake, but I'm just following my heart. I don't want to get you in trouble. I just want to talk to you.
The charges against Wilson were gross misdemeanors, punishable by as much as a $5,000 fine and up to one year in jail.
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 4:55 PM.