Libby man, 47, pleads guilty to sexual abuse of teenage girl

Special to the Inter Lake

LIBBY - A 47-year-old Libby man pleaded guilty Monday to felony charges stemming from a home video showing a 14-year-old girl engaged in sexual activity.

David Alexander Cooper pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a child in exchange for dismissal of charges of sexual intercourse without consent and sexual assault.

The plea agreement contains no sentencing recommendation.

Cooper will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence report and psychological evaluation.

According to an affidavit filed in district court, the investigation that led to the charges against Cooper started in August 2004, when a sheriff's deputy received an envelope containing a videotape depicting a man and two teenage girls engaged in sexual activity.

The date on the videotape indicated it had been recorded in April 2003.

The deputy identified the man on the tape as Cooper, who would have been 44 at the time, and he identified the girls as having been 17 and 14 years old when the tape was made.

A detective talked with the younger girl, who at first denied having any sexual contact with Cooper but later admitted it, saying she did not think he had done anything wrong. The older girl later told the detective the younger girl told her Cooper was in trouble, and the older girl urged her to say the date on the tape was wrong.

The girl told the detective the date was correct and that the tape was recorded at Cooper's home. She said she was "dating" Cooper at the time.