Sex-registration plea nets deferred sentence

MONTROSE — A convicted sex offender received a deferred judgment for failing to register as required, the Montrose Combined Courts said.

William Dahle, 22, was arrested in April for supplying alcohol to minors. It later emerged that he had a 2004 conviction out of California for sexual assault involving a minor, but had not registered with authorities when he moved to Montrose.

According to the Montrose Police Department, California hadn’t required Dahle to register, but he did register in Florida two years ago. Colorado law requires sex offenders to register with whatever law enforcement agency has jurisdiction where they reside. The requirement applies regardless where the applicable sex conviction took place and, the MPD said, Dahle should have registered with them within five days of moving to Montrose.

Dahle received a two-year, deferred sentence May 1. If he completes all requirements under it, he will not be convicted of failing to register as a sex offender.

The district attorney’s office also said California authorities hadn’t required Dahle to register as a sex offender, though he was required to do so in Colorado. His plea essentially works like probation, DA Myrl Serra said.

Dahle also pleaded guilty to providing alcohol to minors as a misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 18 days in jail, which he has already served.

He is not to have contact with the victims in that case.

One of the teens and her father said they were displeased with the agreement and hadn’t been informed of it in advance. They said they were harassed because of the case and plan to move out of area.

The DA said prosecutors spoke to the family several times, and in person, even though the alcohol offense to which Dahle pleaded did not fall under the Victim Rights Act — a law, that, among other things, requires victims to be notified in advance of any plea agreements.