Local suspect convicted in Oregon

A former Flathead County man is set to change his plea on a charge of felony sexual assault.

Pablo Samuel Espinoza Jr., 43, asked Thursday for a change-of-plea hearing. Espinoza’s public defender Nick Aemisegger said that Espinoza recently was convicted in Oregon and is in prison there.

“The charge involved similar conduct with the same victim,” Aemisegger said.

An online offender search for Oregon shows that Espinoza was convicted in April of four counts of sex abuse.

In the Flathead County case, a 12-year-old girl reported that Espinoza had touched her inappropriately on numerous occasions.

Aemisegger said Espinoza is likely to be sentenced to 15 years in Oregon. He said he hopes to work with Flathead County prosecutor Andrew Clegg to reach a “global resolution” in the case.

A change-of-plea hearing in the Flathead County case was set for July 21.