Montrose District Court Briefs

Plea tendered in sex case

MONTROSE — A former youth center coordinator pleaded guilty last week to a sex offense.

Sarah Curry, 30, pleaded to an amended charge of attempted sexual assault by one in a position of trust as a class-5 felony. Other charges alleging sexual assault were dismissed under plea agreement, and a trial set for July 13 was vacated.

Curry was a program coordinator for the Robert A. Brown Center in Montrose and had worked there for about a year when she was arrested in 2008. Curry then resigned.

The investigation into her conduct began a year ago today, after a California minister reported a sex act between Curry and a youth at the Brown Center when the boy was hospitalized in Montrose.

Her arrest affidavit alleged oral sex. According to the document, Curry had already been placed on a disciplinary action plan after other staff reported her for violating center policies.

Curry was set for sentencing at 3 p.m. Aug. 24. The plea agreement calls for probation, her attorney said.

Bond reduction again denied in assault case

MONTROSE — Timothy Moore's bid to have a personal recognizance bond was denied in court Wednesday, despite pleas from his alleged victim.

Moore, 41, is suspected of second-degree assault and domestic violence in a June attack on the woman, who sustained a fractured eye socket.

The woman said at a previous hearing Moore was out of his mind due to mental health issues for which he was seeking treatment. She reiterated her desire that he be released for treatment on Wednesday, and also said she needed his financial and emotional support so she could better address her own medical issues.

"I can't do this by myself," she said, as Moore wept openly in the courtroom.

District Attorney Myrl Serra said Moore was finishing probation from a 1999 case involving similar allegations (but concerning a different victim) when the new incident occurred.

Judge Jeff Herron said Moore's past concerned him, as did the significant injury prosecutors say he inflicted on the woman this time.

"Oftentimes, I'm put in a position where I have to balance public safety against the needs and wishes of friends and family," Herron said, leaving bond at $60,000.

Young burglar bound for DOC after commcorr violations

MONTROSE — Just a few months after heading off to community corrections, Rueben Wise was back in court Wednesday, this time, to be sentenced to the Department of Corrections.

Commcorr terminated Wise from the program for what he said in court were technical violations involving calls and signing in and out of the facility. He'd been sentenced to four years of commcorr in March for felony theft and violating the terms of a deferred sentence on a criminal trespass case.

Wise broke into the home of Daily Press Circulation Manager Phil Ashley on New Year's Eve, and stole jewelry before Ashley's wife arrived home, caught him in the house, and chased him out.

Wednesday, Wise's attorney asked Judge Jeff Herron to recommend Wise for the DOC's regimented inmate training, also known as boot camp. If he successfully completes the program, Wise can reapply for commcorr.

Herron did that, but told Wise he should make a real effort this time around.

"You need to pick it up a bit," Herron said. "You have not been succeeding in anything ... if you can't cut it, you're going to be in prison."

Wise then explained the nature of his violations. "I know being kicked out of commcorr was bad, but I wasn't a complete failure," he said.

Herron said Wise nonetheless needed to grow up. "Life is about the little things, like calling in. Boot camp will have lots of little rules," he said.

Wise received four years in prison, concurrent with a two-year prison term on another case, less six months' credit for time served.