Dasen ordered to stay in jail

Judge cites risk tothe community, $7 million shuffled

Dick Dasen Sr. will remain in jail until he is sentenced for sex crimes because he poses a risk to the community.

That was the ruling Wednesday by District Judge Stewart Stadler, even after hearing from about 10 witnesses, including Dasen, that he is not dangerous and would show up for sentencing if he were released from the Flathead County jail.

Balancing that was emotional testimony from a woman who said she was afraid of Dasen.

Dasen has been jailed since May 20, when a jury convicted him of sexual abuse of children, promotion of prostitution and four counts of prostitution. Prosecutors said he spent about $3 million on sex in five years.

Dasen is appealing his conviction.

Testimony on Wednesday underscored Stadler's thoughts

that "there are two Dick Dasens." One is the man portrayed by witnesses as responsible, gentle and kind.

"The Dick Dasen that is not honest and decent and upright" is the one who committed acts that ended with his conviction on five felony charges and a misdemeanor, Stadler said, and that is the Dasen whom Stadler chose to address Wednesday.

"No one with a daughter" would think that Dasen poses no threat, the judge said.

Dasen, 62, was released from a month-long sexual disorder treatment program with a "guarded" prognosis, and that is cause for concern, Stadler said.

Flathead Deputy County Attorney Dan Guzynski said a report from the treatment program says that Dasen has a "fairly severe sex addiction" with very little victim empathy.

"It's more of a co-dependency love addiction, not so much sex addiction, although the sex addiction is what got me out of control," Dasen said.

Dasen's attorney, George Best, argued that Dasen had no history of violent acts, he has the support of his family and friends representing "the broad spectrum of people who live in this community," and if he were inclined to run away, he would have done it after he was charged with serious crimes.

It is unnecessary to spend taxpayer money to incarcerate Dasen when he could be supervised at home, Best said.

But Deputy County Attorney Lori Adams said Dasen does pose a danger. One women with whom he was involved said he tried to strangle her during sex, Adams said.

Another woman, Kim Neise, was convicted of aggravated promotion of prostitution for bringing girls to Dasen for sex.

Dasen talked to her and two other girls about the murder of a woman at the Super 8 motel, where his DNA was found, police said.

"'That's what happens to people who talk to the police,'" Neise testified that Dasen told her.

"Even if he didn't do that murder," Neise said, she is afraid of Dasen.

Dasen is considered a "person of interest" in the unsolved murder, police said.

If he were released from jail, "I just can't think what that would be like," Neise said.

She twice has testified against Dasen.

"He knows where my family lives. He knows where I am at all times. He knows everything about me," she said Wednesday.

"Who knows what he'll do? Are you willing to take that risk? I don't know what he'll do. You don't know … there's a body," Neise said, crying and angry.

Adams also tried to convince Stadler that Dasen would be a flight risk if he were released from jail.

Since his arrest, Dasen has reshuffled nearly $7 million in assets, she said, including selling his home in Arizona to his wife, Susan, for $10.

Stadler talked about the millions of dollars Dasen has moved between businesses and how that contrasts with witnesses' descriptions of him as responsible.

"Divesting himself of all of his assets so as not to be liable civilly … is an avoidance of responsibility," Stadler said.

Dasen has several lawsuits against him, including two by teenagers with whom he allegedly had sex.

Susan Dasen testified that the couple sold their West Valley Drive house to their daughter and son-in-law. She still holds a half-interest, she said.

Guzynski said the house and its 15 acres are valued at $600,000.

Dasen also transferred his interest in the couple's Arizona house to his wife after his arrest. They bought the home for $200,000, and it is worth perhaps $300,000, Susan Dasen testified. She said she didn't know why he did that.

"It's just in my name," she said.

She said his retirement account, stocks and bank account are frozen.

Dasen said one of his companies, Peak Development, owes him $400,000. He has also transferred stock from Dasen Co., which owns a number of businesses, he said.

Accountant Larry Johnson testified about Dasen's good character and his finances.

Guzynski quizzed Johnson about some of Dasen's recent financial dealings.

Guzynski said that Dasen sold about $3.8 million of Winter Sports stock. Winter Sports is the company that owns the Big Mountain resort.

He also sold a title company for about $3 million, Guzynski said.

Johnson said that Dasen owns a corporation that owned the title company. He said Dasen never received the proceeds from the sales of Winter Sports stock or Citizens Title & Escrow Co.

That money went to Budget Finance to repay debts, Johnson said.

Guzynski asked why Budget would need that large an infusion of cash because it has investors.

Didn't Budget, a company owned by Dasen Co., make loans to Peak Development, also owned by Dasen Co., without Peak receiving the proceeds? Guzynski asked.

"I think there were one or two of those," Johnson said.

Budget owes its investors $8 million, he said.

"It was Dick's intent that nobody was to be hurt," Johnson said. "He stepped up to the plate."

Other witnesses included Dasen supporters, who praised him as an honest man.

Among them was his son-in-law, Dana Hashley, who said he was cautious about having his children around their grandfather immediately after Dasen's arrest.

"He has very slowly gained that trust back," Hashley said. "Dick is a changed man."

After a four-week trial, Dasen was acquitted on five counts of prostitution, as well as sexual intercourse without consent and aggravated promotion of prostitution.

He faces about 125 years in prison on the charges for which he was convicted. Sentencing is July 18.

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