Archive for Saturday, January 12, 2008
Man pleads indecent exposure
Felony sex assualt charges dropped; man gets probation
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Steamboat Springs — A man facing felony sexual assault charges pleaded no contest to indecent exposure, a misdemeanor, in Routt County Court on Friday, accepting a plea agreement offered after difficulties arose in prosecuting the case.
Clint Earle, 33, was arrested in October on suspicion of forcing a young girl to touch him inappropriately on two separate occasions at his home in unincorporated Routt County.
Judge James Garrecht tentatively agreed to a sentence of two years of supervised probation, pending a presentence investigation by the probation department, given the unspecified "serious weaknesses" in the case.
Issues arose during discovery, the pretrial phase where the prosecution and the defense compile evidence, Earle's attorney Jay Cramner said.
Given the circumstances, the District Attorney's Office determined probation was an "appropriate disposition," Deputy District Attorney Andrew Heyl said.
Earle was originally charged with five felony counts of sexual assault on a child by someone in a position of trust. The charges were for two separate offenses occurring between Jan. 1, 2005, and Nov. 29, 2006, when the alleged incidents were first reported to the Routt County Department of Human Services.
If Earle violates the conditions of his probation, he will face up to 18 months in jail on the indecent exposure charge, a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Earle is due to appear in court for final sentencing 11:30 a.m. March 12.
Comments
id04sp (anonymous) says...
There was a case in California where a DA was heavily involved in pedophilia.
Why do the guys who do this stuff regularly get a break from the DAs and judges?
Think about it. They have a trial for a black kid who was defending himself against a hate crime, but pedophiles get the minimum on a plea bargain.
Hey, Pilot staff, how about going back through your archives and doing a story on all the pedophiles and the punishment they've received through our local judicial system.
January 12, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madmoores (anonymous) says...
Good point.
January 12, 2008 at 11:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Benny (anonymous) says...
It seems to me that all the sex offenses that go through the 14th district get light sentences. What was so weak about this case? Why do we never get to hear the details?
I was reading in the Denver Post about a man (forgot the name) who was sent to prison for a murder that he was accused of doing when he was 15 years old. It's been a decade or so now and he is getting a new trial because the prosecution didn't share discovery with the defense that would have provided reasonable doubt in the case. There are so many details provided about that case and interviews with the original attorneys from both sides and there have been many followup articles. Why doesn't our community get details like that? I want to know what was weak about this case!
January 12, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JazzSlave (anonymous) says...
madmoores:
My dad was a small-town cop in the early 60s. There was a 20-yr old hellion, son of one of the town's wealthier residents, who was contantly in trouble. One night, he tied one on, stole a car, and went for a joyride. Did a crapload of damage all over town before plowing into an embankment.
The kid's dad showed up at the cop shop, laid a $50 bill on the desk & invited my dad & his supervisor to treat themselves to a meal. He also asked for the keys to Junior's cell. He unlocked the cell & beat the snot out of his kid.
It was the last time they had any trouble with Junior.
January 12, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
misterkindbuds (anonymous) says...
That guy's nuts.
January 12, 2008 at 12:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
grannyrett (anonymous) says...
Does he have to register as a sex offender? Is it just probation, and then he is off the hook? Pilot-don't you teach your reporters how to report? This tells us NOTHING!
January 12, 2008 at 10:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Benny (anonymous) says...
Because he plead guilty to indecent exposure, he must register as a sex offender. Keep your eyes on the Sheriff's Office website. His picture and registration information should be on that site pretty soon.
January 12, 2008 at 10:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
marthalee (anonymous) says...
The life of the young girl who was "forced to inappropriately touch" the perpetrator has been permanently altered by the perp's behavior. An important factor in recovery from sexual trauma is knowing that the perp has been justly punished. This child will have learned that she can be hurt and the criminal justice system will not properly punish her assailant. Here is yet another instance of our society not protecting its most vulnerable members.
January 13, 2008 at 7:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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