Man admits assaulting 2 girls

A 28-year-old man charged with three counts of sexual intercourse without consent for crimes involving teenage girls pleaded guilty to one charge Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Daniel Baier admitted Thursday to having sexual contact with two teenage girls after reaching a plea agreement with the Flathead County Attorney’s Office.

He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent Thursday before Judge Ted Lympus.

During questioning by his attorney Courtney Nolan, Baier admitted having sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl while he lived in Flathead County from 2006 to 2010.

He also acknowledged that neither girl was legally able to provide consent since they were both under the age of 16.

Prosecutors will recommend a 20-year sentence in Montana State Prison with 10 of those years suspended, according to the agreement.

One of the victims told a Flathead County Sheriff’s Office detective she had sexual intercourse with Baier in May 2010, when she was 15 years old.

The second victim, who was 13 at the time, said Baier provided her with alcohol and had sex with her after she became drunk in November, 2006.

A third woman claimed that Baier had sexual contact with her when she was 14 years old, but those allegations were not included in the plea agreement accepted by Baier.

He was arrested in Billings last December by the U.S. Marshal’s Montana Violent Offender Task Force and remains in the Flathead County Detention Center.

The allegations were first reported to law enforcement on Oct. 5, 2010. The case had been scheduled for trial June 13.

Baier is scheduled to be sentenced June 30.