Sex offender arrested the day before his wedding

A day before he was to be married in Whitefish, a man was arrested Friday for failing to register as a sex offender.

Steven T. Hoover, 44, was going by the name of Steve Bersanti. He was reportedly living next door to a day care on Colorado Avenue. His fiancee reportedly knew about his criminal history.

He was arrested for failing to register as a sex offender since moving to the Flathead Valley from Helena in 2004. He also was arrested on a warrant for felony partner assault and a warrant from the highway patrol for traffic tickets.

He was arrested in Kalispell in 1994 after he reportedly exposed himself to children in Woodland Park and a woman in a grocery store parking lot. He was sentenced in 1995 for one count of indecent exposure.

He served time in prison after violating terms of his sentence, according to Roger Bergstrom of the Whitefish Police Department.

Hoover registered as a sex offender in Helena, as required by law.

When he moved to the Flathead, he reportedly stayed sometimes with his mother on College Avenue near a Montessori School. When he was arrested, he lived with his girlfriend and operated an upholstery business in her garage.

An informant told police in Whitefish that Hoover was living there.

Bergstrom said Hoover at first denied his identity when Bergstrom showed up to arrest him.

He was jailed on $55,000 bond.

The flowers and cake for the weekend wedding reportedly went unused.