Dasen trial: more tales of sex, checks

Questions about sex, checks and drug use continued Tuesday in the seventh day of testimony in Dick Dasen Sr.'s criminal prosecution in Flathead County District Court.

Dasen faces 14 charges related to prostitution, with the most serious including sexual intercourse without consent and sexual exploitation of children.

Two young women testified Tuesday about their sexual encounters for which they allege Dasen rewarded them with thousands of dollars in checks.

Defense attorney George Best continued his tack of revealing the women's drug use and questioning their memories and alleged sex-for-money deals with Dasen.

One girl, a minor at the time, testified that she and her friend, also a minor, were booked for a sexual encounter with Dasen by Kimberly Neise. Last year, Neise pleaded guilty to aggravated promotion of prostitution, a charge related to arranging sex events for Dasen.

The girl testified that age was not mentioned during the 45-minute to one-hour encounter with Dasen. She also said she and her friend smoked marijuana with another witness in the trial, Misty Yates Gibbs, prior to the sex.

After the encounter, the girl said she and her friend received $500 from Neise. She said they spent September trying to collect the rest of the money promised by Neise.

When they were unsuccessful, the two girls approached Dasen for money in early October.

"We walked in and he didn't remember us at first," she said.

The two left with a check for $2,000. She said they went to Canada where they spent the money on clothes, marijuana, food and other expenses.

She later approached Dasen on her own and received money after claiming she needed it for moving expenses.

Gibbs, who also testified Tuesday, was staying at Neise's Fifth Avenue East apartment where the alleged sex with the underage girls took place. She testified that she had an earlier encounter with Dasen to repay Neise.

"I borrowed $500 and I needed to repay it," she said.

Gibbs said Neise introduced her to Dasen at his office at Peak Development. She said her appointment to have sex with Dasen was then scheduled.

She said she booked a room at the Rose Inn and then waited for Dasen. Gibbs said he first asked if she understood why he was there. She said she did.

Gibbs described her sexual encounter with Dasen. Deputy County Attorney Lori Adams asked Gibbs whether she felt any pain during the meeting, to which Gibbs answered yes.

She said she initially received $1,000. Gibbs said Dasen later gave her $2,100 and then $3,125 after she said she needed money for food and clothing for her daughter, rent and utilities.

She said she only had sex with Dasen once.

Under questioning by Best, Gibbs said Dasen had helped her mother and her best friend without receiving sexual favors.

Also Tuesday, Kalispell Det. Jim Brenden testified about his interview with the young girl. He said he believed she was truthful about the encounter because of the amount of detail she provided.

Brenden also was questioned about a search he participated in of Dasen's home. He said another officer found a document entitled "How I remember the incident."

At Adams' request, he read from the document. In it, Dasen wrote that he always told the women, "If you just need help, you don't have to do anything."

The document said that Neise invited Dasen over for a surprise. He wrote that he thought it was to see the furniture he had given her money to purchase.

According to Dasen, the two girls were presented as his surprise.

"I was assured by both that they were 18," Dasen wrote.

Dasen said in the document that the girls then informed him that he was not to touch them.

Although testimony Monday accused Dasen of sex with the girls, he wrote in the document that he didn't participate.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.