Teen sex offender booted from treatment over “concerning” behaviors regarding small children

A Stillwater County teenager who has been living in a group home for more than two years since admitting to sexually assaulting a child has been kicked out of sexual offender treatment.
The teen, who is now 17 and appeared in handcuffs and shackles at a court hearing last Thursday, was terminated from the program due to his “concerning behavior” and boundaries regarding small children, as well as a need for him to be supervised at a higher level, according to testimony at the hearing.
At the joint recommendation of Stillwater County Attorney Nancy Rohde and defense attorney Greg Paskell, the teen was ordered to live at Pine Hills Correctional Facility in Miles City until age 18 and enroll in that facility’s sex offender program. Once he reaches age 18, he will then be transferred to the Department of Corrections and remain under that agency’s jurisdiction until age 25.
He also must now register as a Level 2 sex offender with the Montana Sexual and Violent Offender Registry (SVOR). A Level 2 designation means the offender is at moderate risk to reoffend and state law mandates a 25 year registry time.
When the teen was first sentenced in 2015, District Judge Blair Jones hesitantly did not order the boy to register, at the request of the psycho-sexual evaluator. At the time, Rohde did not object, but did say her stance would change if the boy did not follow the court-imposed conditions, which is what came to fruition.
Last Thursday, Paskell objected to the lengthy registration and substitute Judge Brenda Gilbert said that the teen would have opportunities to have that requirement reviewed down the line.

THE CASE
Two years ago, the teen admitted to one felony count of sexual assault involving a child. All the conditions of his sentence remain in effect and include being subject to polygraph tests, being prohibited from having unsupervised internet usage, compiling with 21 probationary rules, limited cell phone use and not being in charge of anyone three or more years younger.