SANDPOINT — A Priest Lake man was ordered to serve concurrent life sentences on Tuesday for raping and impregnating a teenager.

William Scott Wegner will have to serve at least 15 years of the sentences before he can be considered for parole, according to the terms of the sentence imposed by 1st District Judge Barbara Buchanan.

“You’re not safe to be in the community. You’re a risk. You’re not amenable to treatment at this time,” Buchanan told Wegner, referring to his unwillingness to accept responsibility for his misconduct.

A Bonner County grand jury indicted Wegner on two counts of lewd conduct and rape last year. Wegner was set to stand trial by a judge last fall, but allegedly fled to a remote town in Arizona to avoid being prosecuted for the felony offenses. He was apprehended in Apache County, Ariz., in March, after investigators confronted his former girlfriend, Sheenagh Elizabeth Adams, about Wegner’s whereabouts.

Wegner, 41, entered Alford pleas to one count of lewd conduct and one count of rape. Under the terms of the pleas, Wegner admits no wrongdoing but concedes he could be convicted if his case went to trial.

Wegner’s two sons testified on his behalf during Tuesday’s sentencing hearing. They described him as a caring father and said they never saw him engaged in sexual misconduct involving the teen.

“He was a very good dad. He took care of me. He listened to me when I needed him the most and he was there in, like, really rough times,” Elijah Wegner told the court.

Chandler Wegner, 20, told the court his father was being treated unfairly.

“You’re relying one person, basically voiding all the other contradicting comments,” Chandler Wegner said.

A victim impact statement was supplied to the court, but its contents were not disclosed on Tuesday.

William Wegner testified about a series of health conditions he suffers from, which included a brain tumor, kidney stones and a heart ailment. He also took issue with the contents of the victim impact statement.

“There is stuff in here that I have no idea where it’s coming from,” William Wegner testified.

Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall questioned why Wegner sequestered himself in such a remote location and far from medical help given his purported health problems. Marshall also disputed Wegner’s claims that the teen sexually assaulted him while he was asleep and called the defendant’s testimony “implausible.”

“There’s a mountain of evidence against him, just a mountain of evidence, including DNA tests from a baby that was aborted. There’s just no question of his guilt. There’s zero question,” said Marshall, who recommended sentences of 15 years to life.

Marshall also hailed a 6-year-old girl who was allegedly molested by William Wegner as a hero for reporting the abuse to authorities, which uncovered the abuse to the teen.

“We wouldn’t be here in this courtroom today but for her and her bravery,” said Marshall.

Deputy Public Defender Serra Woods recommended a suspended prison term and retained jurisdiction, which would qualify William Wegner for probation after serving up to a year in prison. Woods also told the court that the alleged victim was likely pressured into aborting the pregnancy.

“I think she’s been programmed and manipulated by the system to believe what she says in this victim statement and it seems like everybody’s manipulating her to her detriment,” Woods told the court.

Buchanan disagreed with the defense contention that Wegner was being unfairly persecuted and said the evidence did not support his claim.

“The harm you did in this case is incalculable. You don’t have any remorse. You don’t have any acceptabce. You don’t take any responsibility,” said Buchanan, who ruled that a lesser sentence would depreciate the seriousness of his offenses.

“There’s a risk of continued crimes,” Buchanan added.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.