Prosecution deferred in sex assault case

The Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead County Attorney's Office has agreed to drop the charges against a Kalispell man accused of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl on the condition that he abide by the terms of a deferred prosecution arrangement for 18 months.

Prosecutors dismissed without prejudice two counts of felony sexual assault against 33-year-old Jesse Jose Mollenkopf during a hearing Wednesday in Flathead County District Court.

The charges can be re-filed should Mollenkopf fail to live up to the conditions of the agreement.

"Based on the age of the [alleged victim] and the facts of the case we think this is the best resolution," said Deputy County Attorney Lori Adams.

Adams also said a sex-offender evaluation conducted by a psychologist was taken into consideration when the deferred prosecution agreement with Mollenkopf was reached.

Mollenkopf was arrested by Kalispell police in August 2007 at his home on Ninth Avenue West.

According to court papers, the alleged molestation took place between May 2005 and May 2007 and originated in Ravalli County. Sheriff's deputies there forwarded the case to the Kalispell Police Department.

The allegations came to light during a counseling session where the 6-year-old, her mother, and the counselor were reading about inappropriate touching, according to the state's charging documents.

The girl later told a forensic interviewer at the Bitterroot Valley Children's Advocacy Center that Mollenkopf touched her inappropriately.