Man charged in sex assaults on children

Former administrator of Montessori school in Whitefish suspected of molesting boys

The former administrator of Children's House Montessori School in Whitefish was charged Wednesday with molesting five children.

David R. Farr, 36, of Whitefish faces five felony sexual-assault charges involving boys between ages 2 and 6 who attended the after-school program at the school.

According to court information filed by Deputy County Attorney Dan Guzynski, the alleged assaults occurred between October 2004 and October 2005.

The Whitefish Police Department and others investigated complaints from parents for four months before arresting Farr at his Whitefish home Wednesday. They were assisted in the investigation by the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Flathead County Sheriff's Office, Kalispell and Columbia Falls police departments and the Department of Family Services.

When interviewed by police, one child "stated that Dave was not very nice and that the nap room was not a good place," according to the criminal complaint.

One parent reported in October 2005 that her son told her that Farr had touched him inappropriately on two occasions while the boy was lying down at nap time.

In November 2005, a mother reported to police that her son said Farr had touched his private parts "very hard." The boy reportedly was examined by a physician, who found injuries.

Another parent in December 2005 told police that her son told her that Farr had hurt him.

Also during that month, a mother told Whitefish police detective Roger Bergstrom that her child told her that Farr had touched him.

In January 2005, another mother told Bergstrom that her son revealed to her that Farr had hurt him.

Whitefish police Chief Bill Dial said Farr was administrator of the school from June 2004 to October 2005. He served as director and co-director of Bear Grass, the after-school program, from 1992 through 2001.

All of the alleged assaults took place in the child-care program, not in classrooms, according to a teacher at the school who asked to not be identified.

"It's really sad, because it's had a huge impact on everybody," she said.

At a press conference Wednesday, Dial asked the media to respect the privacy of the alleged victims' families during "a very horrifying time."

He said state and federal agencies lent technical support in the case, including analysis of Farr's computer at the school.

That turned up nothing illegal, he said. However, Dial said more charges could be filed.

Bond was set at $100,000.

If convicted on all five counts, Farr could be sentenced to life or as long as 500 years in prison.

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