Woman convicted in Dasen prostitution case

A woman who characterized her relationship with Kalispell businessman Dick Dasen Sr. as "an affair" was convicted at trial Tuesday.

Cari Halama, 36, of Kalispell, represented herself in the trial before Kalispell Municipal Judge Heidi Ulbricht. She was prosecuted by Assistant City Attorney Rich Hickel, who called the evidence against Halama "overwhelming."

Halama was charged with the misdemeanor offense of sex for hire. Dasen is awaiting trial on 14 charges related to prostitution.

Wearing jail-issue sweats, slip-on shoes and a windbreaker, Halama faced four detectives in suits who had collected copies of checks written to Halama that totaled more than $49,000 from Dasen to Halama.

Hickel played a recording of a May 3 interview with Halama that Detective Sgt. Jim Brenden of Kalispell police conducted.

In it, she said, "I got several checks from [Dasen] before we started a sexual relationship." She'd gone to him for financial help, she said, and he gave her money with no demand for repayment.

Her best friend and roommate, Leah Marshall, had a sex-for-money relationship with Dasen, and Halama said she wanted the same arrangement.

During the interview, she said she had sex with Dasen about 30 times and was paid $1,000 to $6,000 for each encounter over the course of a year.

Brenden testified about motel ledgers, in which Halama is registered, that correspond with checks from Dasen to her, written on three different bank accounts.

Detectives Mark Mulcahy and Kevin McCarvel also interviewed Halama, they testified.

Halama testified that McCarvel coerced her into making a false statement about Dasen.

She said she'd gone to McCarvel for help in a problem she had with custody of her son.

"He said in order for him to help me, I had to help him too and that was giving a statement against Mr. Dasen, so I did … I never got help from any of them," Halama said.

Hickel said Halama's conversation with McCarvel came after she had already given statements to Mulcahy and Brenden, but she insisted, "No, it was before."

Halama testified that she did receive nearly $50,000 from Dasen, but insisted that, "I didn't do anything to earn the money … It was given to me.

"In no way did he ever solicit me for sex or prostitution. He was a good man."

That's not what she wrote in a letter to Dasen in October 2003 after he ended their relationship, according to Kalispell Lt. Detective Roger Nasset.

"I most certainly have earned every dollar you have given me. I admit that there exists some shame for what has taken place between us," the letter reads.

Halama denies writing the letter and asked Nasset where it came from.

He testified that it was one of three letters given to police by her ex-husband. Dasen also "referred to it as coming from you," and Marshal has stated that she saw the letter in Halama's possession.

In his closing statement, Hickel said that what "started innocently enough" became a prostitution relationship between Halama and Dasen.

In her closing statement, Halama said, "I had a relationship with Mr. Dasen, yes.

"He gave me money" and she had sex with him, but he assured her that she didn't have to, she said.

Ulbricht found Halama guilty and fined her $250. She'll be given credit for time served in jail and has 10 days to appeal the verdict.

Another woman, Rhonda "Nikki" Hawk, is awaiting trial on prostitution charges. More than a dozen others have pleaded guilty and two cases are still pending.

Reporter Chery Sabol may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at csabol@dailyinterlake.com