Steamboat Pilot & Today

A $100,000 bond was set Monday for a man arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child and failing to register as a sex offender.

The assaults allegedly happened twice during the summer at a west Steamboat Springs business, Steamboat Springs police Capt. Joel Rae said. The man was employed at that business when the alleged assaults took place.

The victim is a boy between the ages of 5 and 10.

Rae said the boy's parents called police Saturday night to give information about the alleged assaults, and the man was arrested that night.

Whether there are other victims or whether there could be other charges is under investigation, Rae said.

During the man's advisement Monday, Deputy District Attorney Tammy Jenson said she plans to file several charges against the 43-year-old Steam--boat man, including two counts of sexual assault on a child and a pattern of abuse of sexual assault on a child.

The pattern of abuse charge carries a mandatory prison sentence of 10 years to life.

Jenson called the man an "extreme danger" to children in the community.

She also said the man allegedly threatened the boy so the boy wouldn't tell anyone about the assaults.

The man failed to register as a sex offender in Washington, and so there is a warrant for his arrest, Jenson said. He also failed to register in Colorado.

In the Washington case, the man originally was charged with felony sexual assault on a child, but he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges, she said.

According to the Washington State Sex Offender Information Center, the man was convicted of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. He was considered a "Level II" offender, with a moderate risk to the community.

The man reportedly had discussed plans to leave for Las Vegas, but was arrested before he could do so, she said.

"We believe he's an extreme flight risk," Jenson said about the man.

The man said during his advisement that he thought his period to register as a sex offender had ended and that he did not have any idea about the charges being discussed in court.

Routt County Judge James Garrecht said that in light of the severity of the alleged crime, he thought a $100,000 bond was appropriate. He set a hearing for the man at 1 p.m. Aug. 24.

-- To reach Susan Cunningham, call 871-4203 or e-mail scunningham@steamboatpilot.com