Dryden Messianic Rabbi’s Domestic Assault Trial To Start Tuesday

A messianic rabbi from Dryden charged with felonies more than three years ago is going on trial Tuesday.  

Isaac David Heckman has been charged since April 2021 with three counts of second-degree assault after being accused of choking and assaulting his former partner.   

His trial was set to begin last December, but it was delayed when prosecutors and Heckman’s defense attorney asked for more time to collect transcripts and conduct interviews. 

Heckman is the Rabbi/Pastor for the Assembly of Called Out Believers, a Wenatchee-based messianic fellowship that combines teachings from both Judaism and Christianity.  

Superior Court Judge Kristin Ferrera granted a continuance and set a new trial date this month, but noted the age of the case and warned that another continuance may not be granted.  

Both the state and Heckman’s defense attorney were granted a continuance in September for the purpose of interviewing more witnesses.  

He is also charged with misdemeanor disclosing intimate images in the case. 

According to the original arresting court affidavit in March of 2021, the victim alleged that Heckman choked her and physically assaulted her multiple times.  

He was initially charged with three felony counts of second-degree assault and domestic violence.  

 A year after his arrest, Heckman was additionally charged with cyberstalking, violation of a court order, tampering with a witness, and for disclosing intimate images, after a website containing intimate photos of the victim came to light.  

His defense attorney motioned to dismiss the first three aforementioned charges, stating that there was an insufficient amount of evidence tying Heckman to that website.

Judge Ferrera dismissed three out of the four additional charges in March of this year, leaving the three counts of assault and disclosing intimate images charges in place.