Dasen cash-for-sex trial begins Monday

Some of the story of the trial of Dick Dasen Sr. is better told in numbers than in words.

Set to begin Monday, the case is one of allegations of prostitution and related charges that expose Dasen to more than 300 years in prison if he is convicted.

An unprecedented jury pool of 450 people begins to gather Monday for selection for the four-to-six-week trial. Police say that Dasen, 62, spent millions of dollars on sex over the past 20 years. Prosecuting deputy county attorneys Dan Guzynski and Lori Adams will present the case. Defense attorney George Best will attempt to refute it. District Judge Stewart Stadler will preside.

Some of the numbers that illustrate the magnitude of the case:

. 57 or so pre-trial motions filed before jury selection begins; the most recent was filed at the end of last week, when Best asked Stadler to declare the jury selection process unconstitutional. Stadler ruled that the motion was filed too late to consider

. 5,000 to 10,000 subpoenaed checks allegedly written by Dasen to women and girls; about 400 of them will be submitted as potential evidence during the trial - most are for $1,000 each. Some women reportedly received more than $100,000

. 128 people listed as potential witnesses

. 450 jurors summoned for duty, with 150 to be screened during each of three days of jury selection, if necessary

. 14 criminal charges for the jury to consider - they are 10 counts of prostitution, promotion of prostitution, aggravated promotion of prostitution, sexual intercourse without consent, and sexual exploitation of children

. 356 years in prison maximum sentence for all charges

. 22 women and girls charged with prostitution or related crimes in the case, including 18 adults and four juveniles; most have been convicted and sentenced

. 427 days from the time of Dasen's arrest on Feb. 11, 2004 until the trial begins

. 6 search warrants served on Dasen's home and businesses; the first round of search warrants were said to be flawed and new documents were prepared to seize essentially the same computers, documents, photographs and other items that were taken during the first search

. 3 trial dates set; continuances were granted for dates in August 2004 and in January

. 60-plus stories written about Dasen in The Daily Inter Lake since his arrest

. $100 - the fine paid by most of the women who were convicted of prostitution

. 10 years with 5 suspended - the sentence given to Kimberly Neise, who admitted securing girls for Dasen and was charged with aggravated promotion of prostitution