Judge denies probation release for Dick Dasen Sr.

A former Kalispell businessman who was convicted of four counts of prostitution, sexual abuse of children and promotion of prostitution more than a decade ago won’t be getting an early release from probation.

Flathead District Court Judge Heidi Ulbricht on Sept. 24 denied a request by Dick Dasen Sr., 76, for a conditional release from supervision, according to court documents. He connected with the court by telephone from where he resides in Arizona.

Dasen’s case shocked the Flathead Valley when he was arrested in February 2004 after authorities said Dasen paid women and girls for sex, that he took sexual photographs of girls under the age of 18, that he had sex with a girl under the age of consent at 15, and that he enticed poor and drug-addicted women and girls to become prostitutes with large amounts of money.

In May 2005, after a monthlong trial, a jury convicted Dasen Sr. of several offenses and he was later sentenced to 20 years, 18 suspended. He was released in May 2007 and has been on probation since then.

The Flathead County Attorney’s Office, led by Andrew Clegg, argued successfully against Dasen Sr. being released from his term of supervision, which would end in 2025 when he will be 83.

Ulbricht ordered that Dasen Sr. needs to be further rehabilitated and needs to be under supervision for a longer time period. He was advised that he is permitted to apply again in the future.

According to a previous Daily Inter Lake story, Dasen helped shape Kalispell’s business landscape, including construction of the Outlaw Inn, Kalispell Regional Medical Center, Ashley Square and Southfield Tower. He was known as a generous philanthropist and community leader.

The investigation into Dasen’s private life revealed that he had spent millions of dollars on sex over a five-year period. Then-Kalispell Police Chief Frank Garner said early on in the Dasen case that his officers already had put in a thousand man-hours on the investigation.

Twenty-two women and girls were convicted of misdemeanor prostitution charges in connection with the case.

Dasen Sr. also had financial troubles related to his crimes, including $786,000 in unpaid state income taxes and a federal tax lien. By the time a federal jury in Missoula awarded $2.2 million in damages to a 16-year-old girl who sued Dasen over a sexual encounter when she was 16, Dasen said he was broke.

In 2006, the girl filed a second lawsuit against Dasen, family members and former business partners, alleging the fraudulent transfer of assets to avoid paying damages. At the time, the girl’s attorney estimated that more than $6 million of Dasen’s money had “disappeared.”

Soon after, Dasen was forced into involuntary bankruptcy by his former companies and his criminal defense attorney.

In February 2009 the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Dasen’s appeal of the $2.2 million federal jury award.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 406-758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com